NEW DELHI, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- American pharma conglomerate -- Johnson & Johnson (J&J) has applied to the Central Drug Standard Control Organisation of India, seeking emergency use approval of its single-shot vaccine, officials said Friday.

Photo: AFP

"This is an important milestone that paves the way to bringing our single-dose COVID-19 vaccine to the people of India, and the rest of the world, through a collaboration with Biological E Limited," the company statement was quoted in local media as having stated.

"Biological E will be an important part of our global supply chain network, helping to supply our Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine through the extensive collaborations and partnerships we have with governments, health authorities and organisations such as Gavi and the COVAX facility."

If J&J's vaccine gets approval in India, it will be the second foreign-made vaccine maker to be approved in the country, after Moderna.

India is in the grip of an ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the cases are increasing with each passing day.

Globally India is the second worst-hit country by the COVID-19 pandemic.