India's spirited fight against the COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as an example worldwide. Despite the odds being heavily against India, the nation with the spirit of Jan-Bhagidaari displayed amazing resilience before a once-in-a-century humanitarian crisis.

The numbers speak for themselves. India's overall performance has been far better than other developed nations, even when the percentage of total GDP spent on healthcare is relatively low compared to other developed nations. Even though the number of hospital beds available per 10,000 is also low compared to other countries, India successfully curbed the spread of COVID-19 far better than any other developed nation. Considering that India has the second-largest population in the world, the country has a lower case-to-death ratio than many countries that are not as densely populated as India. Despite having a population density of 464, India has successfully contained the spread as only 3 percent of India's population has been infected.

The global average is 4.74 percent, with 20 percent of infection in countries with lower population density, like the USA, UK, and France. As of January 30 2022, India's COVID-19 cases per million is 29,965, 37 percent less than the world average of 47,365. This is one of the lowest worldwide, with developed nations like France, the UK and the USA registering 9.6, 8 and 7.5 times more cases per million than India.

With the five-fold strategy of testing, tracking, treating, vaccinating and COVID-appropriate behaviour coupled with great collaboration between the Central Government and the State Governments, India has successfully curbed the spread during multiple waves. India has successfully managed to contain the spread even when the Omicron variant has caused much damage in countries like the USA, UK, France, Germany, etc., and the third wave is already declining rapidly in India.

Odds have been heavily against India since the very beginning of the pandemic. India's per capita income is relatively lower than developed nations like the US, UK, Russia, etc. We had many other challenges, like insufficient resources, including trained manpower and inadequate information about the virus. Still, we marched ahead confidently to face one of the worst humanitarian crises this planet has ever seen. In no time, we became self-sufficient in manufacturing diagnostic kits, PPE, N95 masks, respiratory aids, etc. We strengthened our health infrastructure, and the central government supported the states with technical and financial support to augment health infrastructure. The result of this remarkable coordination was there for everyone to see in the increasing number of COVID testing facilities and new PSA plants across the country and the strengthening of the overall oxygen supply chain.

On the vaccination front, India has also emerged as the global leader. With over 175 crore COVID-19 Vaccinations, India’s vaccination drive is the largest and most successful in the world. India’s vaccination drive has performed better than many developed Western nations with a significantly low population base to vaccinate. India’s 80 percent of the eligible adult population is fully vaccinated, and over 97 percent of the eligible adult population has received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccines.

In the vaccination drive, the country has achieved several milestones, including administering over 100 crore doses in less than nine months, administering 2.51 crore doses in a single day, several times administering one crore doses in a day and over 155 crore doses in a year. India started administering vaccine doses to teens between the 15 and 18 age group in January this year, and precautionary doses were administered to healthcare and frontline workers and comorbid people aged 60 and above from January 10. So far, over 1.5 crore precaution doses have been administered to the eligible. Over five crore teens have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and over two crore youngsters are fully vaccinated now.

India has also been a friend by giving out over crores of Made in India COVID-19 vaccine doses to needy countries worldwide under its ‘Vaccine Maitri’ programme while undertaking its inoculation drive.  On September 22 2021, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed India’s decision to resume COVID-19 vaccine exports. They said that it is an “important development” in support of the goal to reach the vaccination goal of vaccinating 40 percent of the population in all countries by the end of the year 2021.

Many world leaders hailed India's vaccination programme, including Prime Ministers of 12 countries and the Presidents of 4 Nations. Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of Australia, congratulated India on the historic achievement of the 100 Crore COVID-19 Vaccine Doses administration. In his tweet, he said, “Congratulations to my friend @NarendraModi and his government for administering 1 billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. A huge achievement. India and Australia are working side by side in the Quad to expand vaccine access across the Indo-Pacific.”

Many World Leaders thanked India for its help and support in combating the coronavirus pandemic through “early and meaningful” shipments of COVID-19 vaccine doses under the Vaccine Maitri Programme.

So far, India’s fight against the COVID-19 has been incredible. When COVID-19 ambushed the country, many foreign as well as Indian commentators had predicted that the pandemic would destroy India, but the story is completely different today. The nation is marching ahead strongly in the fight against COVID-19 with the spirit of Jan-Bhaagidari. This goes on to show that any obstacles and negativity cannot stop New India.