MOSCOW, August 18. /TASS/. India through its embassy in Moscow has established contact with the Russian developer of the Sputnik V vaccine against the novel coronavirus infection, The Indian Express daily reported on Tuesday citing the government sources.

"The Indian Mission is engaging separately with the Russian side through our embassy in Moscow. We are now awaiting the safety and efficacy data of this vaccine for Covid-19," the source specified.

Indian experts are also considering other vaccines against COVID-19, including those developed by British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and American Moderna-NIAID. Samples of these vaccines are currently at different stages of clinical trials, including Indian medical institutions. A special national group of virology experts on Monday recommended the Indian government to consider the issue of possible acquisition of these preparations.

On August 11, Russia became the first country worldwide to register the vaccine against the coronavirus which was named Sputnik V. The preparation was developed by the Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Russian Healthcare Ministry. It passed clinical trials in June - July.