India at UN High-Level Meeting on pandemic preparedness: equity and pathogen access-benefit sharing

India at the UN pandemic meeting: what happened?

After COVID-19, countries agreed a WHO Pandemic Agreement. The hard part left is PABS: who shares virus samples and who gets vaccines in return.

• The Union Health Secretary represented India at the UN High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response in New York on 25 Sep [PIB].
• India called for fair pathogen access and benefit sharing under the WHO Pandemic Agreement; recalled supplying 300 million vaccine doses to about 100 countries during COVID-19 [PIB].

What did India say?

• Countries that share pathogens must get timely access to vaccines, diagnostics, medicines and technology, with national sovereignty respected.
• The political declaration should not prejudge the PABS annex talks.
• Preparedness must sit in national health systems and domestic financing, with outside aid as support.
• One Health to be applied as per domestic law and national conditions.
• India gave medical help to over 150 countries during COVID-19.

What can Prelims ask on India at the UN pandemic meeting?

• WHO Pandemic Agreement adopted May 2025.
• PABS = Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing.
• India supplied 300 million COVID vaccine doses abroad.