India Introduces Indigenous Td Vaccine as JP Nadda Flags Off Rollout from CRI Kasauli

New Delhi, February 21, 2026: In a significant advancement for India’s immunization drive, Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda inaugurated the country’s indigenously produced Tetanus and Adult Diphtheria (Td) vaccine at the Central Research Institute in Himachal Pradesh.

The launch formally integrates the Td vaccine into India’s Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), marking a crucial step toward strengthening national health security and reducing dependence on external vaccine supplies.

With the rollout now official, the Central Research Institute (CRI) will provide 55 lakh doses of the Td vaccine to the Universal Immunization Programme by April 2026. Production capacity is expected to expand steadily in the coming years to meet rising public health requirements.

The initiative replaces the earlier Tetanus Toxoid (TT) vaccine with the Td formulation, which offers protection against both tetanus and diphtheria. Health authorities say the move will broaden immunity coverage while preserving gains made in eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus.

Addressing scientists and staff at CRI, the Health Minister emphasized that indigenous vaccine production reflects the government’s focus on achieving self-sufficiency in pharmaceuticals and healthcare manufacturing. He described the development as a milestone aligned with India’s broader goal of becoming self-reliant in critical medical technologies.

He highlighted that India has emerged as a major global vaccine supplier and has attained Maturity Level 3 under the World Health Organization’s global benchmarking of regulatory systems — an acknowledgment of the country’s strong regulatory framework.

The Minister drew comparisons between historic vaccine development timelines and India’s rapid response during the COVID-19 pandemic, when indigenous vaccines were developed within nine months. He noted that more than 220 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered nationwide, supported by digital certification systems and real-time monitoring platforms.

He also referenced India’s international outreach under the Vaccine Maitri initiative, through which vaccines were supplied to nearly 100 countries, including free assistance to 48 nations.

India’s Universal Immunization Programme is considered the largest globally, offering 11 vaccines protecting against 12 preventable diseases. Each year, approximately 2.5 crore children and an equal number of pregnant women are covered under the programme.

Digital systems such as U-WIN help track beneficiaries from pregnancy registration through childhood, ensuring timely vaccination. The immunization schedule includes 27 doses administered up to 16 years of age. Officials reported that national vaccine coverage has now reached nearly 99 percent — a substantial rise attributed to systematic outreach and digital monitoring.

The Central Research Institute is recognized as the first government institute to manufacture vaccines under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards. The institute completed all required developmental studies and regulatory approvals for the Td vaccine, including licensing and clearance from the Central Drugs Laboratory, Kasauli.

The transition from TT to Td aligns with recommendations from global and national advisory bodies, including the World Health Organization and India’s National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI).