New Delhi, Feb 8 (IANS): Replying to the Motion of Thanks in the Rajya Sabha on the President's address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said today scientists are working on 'mission mode' as a result the world's largest vaccination drive is taking place in the country and India is emerging as a pharmacy hub for the world during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said, "Earlier smallpox and polio posed a grave threat. A lot of hard work was done to bring out a vaccine for these diseases. Today, we have made vaccines for coronavirus in a short span of time. The world's largest vaccination drive is going on in India."

Modi said the Covid-19 pandemic has strengthened the relations of India with the rest of the world. The attention shifted towards Indian medicines when the whole world was struggling to find an effective vaccine for the pandemic. "Today, India has emerged as a pharmacy hub for the world. The Indian vaccines were sent to around 150 countries," he added.