Male, January 17: Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Sunday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government for the launch of the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign. In a Twitter post, Solih expressed confidence in seeing an end to the ongoing pandemic that has claimed several lives across the world.

"Congratulations to PM @narendramodi and the Indian government for its landmark program to vaccinate India's population against COVID-19. I'm highly confident that you'll be successful in this endeavor and that we are finally seeing an end to the COVID-19 scourge," he tweeted. PM Narendra Modi Flags Off 8 Trains To Boost Connectivity to Statue of Unity in Gujarat, Virtually Inaugurates Kevadia Rail Station.

Prime Minister Modi launched the pan-India rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination drive on Saturday via video conferencing. The Indian COVID-19 vaccine drive is billed as the world's largest vaccination programme, covering the entire length and breadth of the country, the drive aims to first inoculate millions of its healthcare and frontline workers and reach an estimated three crores people by the end of its first phase.

The vaccine shots of Covishield and Covaxin vaccines were administered at various medical centres all across India on Saturday. The drive will be held daily from 9 am to 5 pm, except on the days earmarked for routine immunisation programmes.