In a landmark move, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda launched the indigenously manufactured Tetanus and Adult Diphtheria (Td) Vaccine at the Central Research Institute (CRI) in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, officially inducting it into the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP). 

Describing the occasion as "momentous and historic", MR Nadda congratulated the scientists and technical teams at CRI and saying the launch is a critical step in safeguarding national health security and strengthening India's public health infrastructure. He emphasised that the government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has established clear goals for achieving self-reliance in health and pharmaceuticals, and that the indigenous Td vaccine is "a concrete step towards the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat in health and medicine." 

The Td vaccine protects against two deadly bacterial infections: tetanus and diphtheria. Tetanus affects the neurological system, causing severe muscle rigidity, whereas diphtheria can obstruct the airway and harm the heart. Previously, India administered the Tetanus Toxoid (TT) vaccination, which solely protected against tetanus. The Td vaccine extends that protection to include diphtheria, boosting immunity in all age groups, including pregnant women. 

The decision follows recommendations made by the World Health Organization in 2006, which were reinforced in its 2017 position paper and by its Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE), asking countries to switch from TT to Td to broaden protection. The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) of India has approved this transition to maintain progress in maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination while minimising diphtheria recurrence. 

With the formal start, CRI will supply 55 lakh doses to the UIP by April 2026, with output expected to increase in succeeding years. The UIP, recognised as the world's largest vaccination programme, presently offers 11 vaccines that protect against 12 avoidable diseases. Nearly five crore people are covered, including around 2.5 crore pregnant women and 2.5 crore children each year. Beneficiaries are tracked digitally through the U-WIN platform from pregnancy registration until they reach the age of 16, which covers 27 dosages. According to the minister, immunisation coverage is nearly 99 per cent. 

The minister emphasised India's regulatory strength, stating that the country has reached Maturity Level 3 in the WHO's global assessment of regulatory systems, indicating strong monitoring of vaccine quality and safety. CRI, he said, is the first government institute to make vaccines in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), which are internationally recognised norms that ensure consistent quality and safety. 

He recalled that worldwide vaccine development timeframes used to take decades, but that during the COVID-19 pandemic, India created two indigenous vaccines in nine months and administered over 220 crore doses, including boosters, with digital certification. Under the Vaccine Maitri project, India supplied vaccines to nearly 100 countries, 48 of which received them for free. 

The Td vaccine's development at CRI includes the successful completion of research studies, regulatory permissions, waivers for early-phase trials where applicable, marketing authorisation, commercial manufacture, and final release clearance from the Central Drugs Laboratory in Kasauli. 

Senior health authorities, state legislators, CRI Director Dr Dimple Kasana, and public health specialists all attended the launch, which officials described as a strategic reinforcement of India's immunisation backbone and long-term health security framework.