The production of Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V has begun in India, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), the firm that markets it internationally, said on Monday (May 24).

The vaccine is being manufactured by Indian biotech firm Panacea Biotec Limited.

The first batch of the vaccine will be shipped to Gamaleya, the Moscow institute which developed the vaccine, for quality controls, RDIF said in a statement, Reuters reported.

It added that full-scale production is expected to begin in the coming months.

Last month, the company had said that Panacea Biotec will produce about 100 million doses of Sputnik V annually.

Last week, Indian envoy to Russia DB Venkatesh Varma said that Sputnik V's production in India will begin in August this year.

He stated that 850 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine will be produced in India by about September-October.

Sputnik V, along with COVISHIELD and COVAXIN, are the only three COVID-19 vaccines that have been allowed for use in India.

“The Russian side has also proposed Sputnik Light for which the regulatory approvals are not completed. But once they are, they will be one more area of cooperation,” Mr. Verma added.