Sri Lanka is exploring the possibility of procuring vaccines from India under a bilateral agreement, The Daily Mirror reported citing officials who were in charge of procuring vaccines. 

Sri Lanka would seek an arrangement with India to secure a vaccine and such an arrangement would also boost bilateral ties, said Lalith Weerathunga, the principal advisor to the Sri Lankan president. Weerathunga is tasked to hold discussions with all stakeholders. 

He said the government would seek vaccine under a grant or through a government to government agreement. Otherwise, he said, it will be obtained through an agent selected by a competitive bidding process. 

He also informed that the government remains open to Russian Sputnik V vaccines and the one currently being developed in China. 

The government is clearing all the legal and regulatory requirements for mass inoculation. He said the country will be among the very first countries, besides those producing vaccines, to start mass vaccination.