Luxembourg-India tie-up to produce COVID vaccine refrigeration equipment by mid-March

As a direct outcome of the India-Luxembourg virtual summit, a company from the European country is partnering with the government of the western state of Gujarat to produce portable vaccine refrigeration equipment.

Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel had made the suggestion to Indian PM Modi during the virtual meet on 19th November. PM Modi had "enthusiastically" taken the offer and asked officials to move quickly.

A govt source said, "We are making it happen. The distinguishing factor is quick response. We have pushed and got it moving within a week after the summit"

The company, B Systems is ordering machines for India operations, and production is expected by end-March in India. Its team will travel next week or early the following week. 

The COVID vaccine is expected to need cold temperature, and for that portable refrigeration will be required. 

Oxford vaccine requires ordinary refrigeration temperatures, while other vaccines like the one from Pfizer need to be kept at much lower temperatures. Russia's Sputnik V requires a temperature of around 2 to 8 degrees.

The Indian Embassy in Brussels is facilitating the entire process, with 2 virtual meets between the mission and the company taking place already. 

The November virtual summit was the first stand-alone Summit meeting between India and Luxembourg in the past two decades.