The second consignment of Sputnik V arrived in Hyderabad from Russia on May 16. Inoculations with Sputnik V in Hyderabad started on Friday followed by the arrival of the first batch of the vaccine in India on May 1. Sputnik V has become the first foreign-made vaccine to be used in India contributing to the world's largest Covid-19 vaccination drive. Russian specialists declared that it is also effective against the new strains of Covid-19. Sputnik V was approved for use in India on April 12, 2021 and granted an emergency use authorisation. India is the leading production hub for Sputnik V. Russian Ambassador to India; Nikolay Kudashev termed the Russian-Indian fight against Covid-19, as an example of the special and privileged strategic partnership and an effective model of international anti-pandemic cooperation.