Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Alfonso Browne has thanked Indian PM Narendra Modi for demonstrating an “act of benevolence, kindness and empathy” by sending 175,000 AstraZeneca vaccines to the Caribbean countries which will help in fighting against COVID-19.

“Today several Caribbean countries, including Antigua and Barbuda, received 175,000 AstraZeneca vaccines from India. Of the 175,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, 40,000 were donated to the people of Antigua and Barbuda. For this, we are extremely grateful. PM Narendra Modi has demonstrated perhaps the most significant act of benevolence, kindness and empathy that was seen in recent times compared to any act of any other leader globally,” Browne was quote as saying by ANI, hours after Made-in-India coronavirus vaccines reached Antigua for Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and Grenadines and Suriname.

He said he felt ‘overwhelmed’ after receiving the vaccines from India.

“Despite having its own problems, India that has a population of about 1.367 billion people would obviously require to administer over billion vaccines in order to achieve herd immunity. However, notwithstanding its own requirements, India made several million vaccines available to developing countries globally,” he said.