India’s Stakes in the Global Pandemic Agreement

UPSC Syllabus: Gs Paper 2- Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Introduction

COVID-19 exposed major gaps in vaccine access, technology sharing, health-system capacity and global coordination, creating the need for stronger pandemic governance. The WHO Pandemic Agreement, adopted in May 2025, seeks to strengthen international cooperation on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. For India, the agreement has strategic importance as a major pharmaceutical producer and Global South partner, while raising concerns over equity, technology access and national sovereignty.

Global Pandemic Governance: Equity vs Sovereignty

1. WHO Pandemic Agreement: The WHO Pandemic Agreement (PA) was adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2025 to strengthen global pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPPR).
2. Broad International Support: The agreement received 124 votes in favour, none against and 11 abstentions, reflecting broad support across different income groups.
3. Emerging Legal Framework: The agreement creates a first-of-its-kind global legal framework for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, though ratification awaits the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex.
4. North–South Divide: Developing countries seek greater finance and technology access, while developed countries resist some binding commitments on technology transfer and other obligations.
5. One Health Financing: African countries sought funding before accepting commitments to monitor human-animal-environment links, a major source of pandemic risks.
6. Vaccine Access: Global negotiations address whether private manufacturers can provide vaccines and therapeutics quickly and affordably during future pandemics.
7. PABS Negotiations: The unresolved Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system aims to ensure countries contributing biological resources receive fair access to vaccines, medicines and therapeutics.
8. Sovereignty and Cooperation: The central issue is balancing national sovereignty with international solidarity, while ensuring global commitments reflect national circumstances and capacities.

India’s Position and Strategic Stakes

1. Sovereignty with Cooperation: India supports stronger international coordination while insisting that pandemic measures respect national sovereignty, domestic law and national circumstances..
2. Equitable Health Access: India seeks fair access to vaccines, medicines, diagnostics and therapeutics, especially for countries with weaker health systems.
3. Fair PABS System: Countries providing pathogens and biological resources should receive timely access to vaccines, technologies and other benefits.
4. Technology Dependence: India manufactures major vaccine volumes but remains dependent on global pharmaceutical companies for patents and on imports for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs).
5. Advanced Manufacturing: Access to Global North technologies is important for India to develop high-grade Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and medical devices.
6. Digital Public Infrastructure: India wants its digital health systems for surveillance, vaccination, supply chains and service continuity recognised as global public goods.

India’s Contribution to Global Pandemic Preparedness

1. Whole-of-Government Approach: India follows a coordinated whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach covering different types of health emergencies.
2. Health-System Capacity: India is expanding laboratory networks, emergency coordination, health workforce, stockpiles and clinical care capacity for future emergencies.
3. Domestic Financing: Pandemic preparedness should remain anchored in national health systems, development plans and domestic financing, with international support complementing national efforts.
4. COVID-19 Health Assistance: India supplied 300 million vaccine doses to around 100 countries and two UN entities and provided medical assistance to over 150 countries, demonstrating its role in supporting global health security.
5. Digital Health Infrastructure: India’s digital health infrastructure, laboratory networks and One Health capabilities can provide useful global public goods for pandemic preparedness.

Way Forward

1. Lead PABS Negotiations: India should actively shape the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) framework to secure equitable benefit-sharing, timely access and respect for national sovereignty.
2. Bridge North–South Differences: India should balance the interests of High-Income, Lower-Middle-Income and Low-Income Countries while seeking greater equity in finance, technology and pandemic responsibilities.
3. Build South-South Partnerships: India should develop partnerships on One Health, surveillance and health workforce strengthening, creating practical solutions for difficult sovereignty-related issues.
4. Use Multilateral Platforms: India can use the Group of Twenty (G20) and Partners for Multilateralism to build wider support for equitable pandemic governance.
5. Reduce Technology Dependence: India should strengthen access to advanced technologies and domestic capabilities in vaccines, medical devices, Personal Protective Equipment and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients.
6. Strengthen Domestic Architecture: India should improve pandemic surveillance, health financing, laboratories, workforce and biological-material regulation to strengthen its global negotiating position.
7. Expand Digital Health Cooperation: India should share its digital health capabilities with developing countries and promote digital public infrastructure as a global public good.

Conclusion

The Pandemic Agreement can either reproduce COVID-19-era inequalities or create a more inclusive global health order. India should combine equity, sovereignty, domestic capacity and South-South cooperation. Its pharmaceutical strength, digital infrastructure and health-system experience can support global leadership, while a credible PABS system remains central to equitable pandemic preparedness.

Question for practice:

Discuss India’s stakes in the Global Pandemic Agreement and the measures needed to strengthen its role in global pandemic governance.

Source: The Hindu; ddnews