India’s new round of epidemic is raging, not only dragging down the world economic recovery, but also affecting the supply chains of many industries around the world.
【Shipping】
According to data provided by the United Nations World Trade and Development Conference, approximately 80% of the world’s trade cargo is shipped by sea. Guy Platten, secretary general of the International Chamber of Shipping, said that of the approximately 1.7 million sailors around the world, more than 200,000 are from India. Many of these Indian sailors hold positions that require important skills.
CNN quoted Platten as saying that he "hoped" that the epidemic in India could be alleviated, otherwise it would lead to a large shortage of sailors and "interfere with the global supply chain."
With some countries banning the entry of flights from India, it will be difficult for Indian sailors to reach ports around the world. Last year, during the global spread of the Covid-19, nearly 200,000 sailors were stranded for several months. They called their ships "floating prisons."
【Medicine】
In addition to affecting shipping, India’s pandemic will drag down the supply of medicines. More than 60% of vaccines sold globally are produced in India. The Serum Institute of India is the world's largest vaccine manufacturer.
The Serum Institute of India agreed last year to produce up to 200 million doses of corona virus vaccine for about 90 countries and regions. However, given that only 2% of India’s population has completed the vaccination, the Indian government and the Serological Institute are now giving priority to providing vaccines for their citizens.
At the same time, according to CNN, India is the world's largest supplier of generic drugs; 90% of prescriptions in the United States are generic drugs.
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