The ICMR envisages inaugurating the vaccine for public health use by 15 August after fulfillment of all clinical trials, as per a letter to institutions performing trials.

The Indian Council of Medical Research has elected 12 institutes across the country to perform clinical trials of the indigenous vaccine COVAXIN to curb COVID-19 infection. ICMR had instructed the chosen clinical trial sites to accelerate approvals and finish recruiting for the trails by 7 July, as per an internal letter from ICMR to the institutions.

In the letter, ICMR says that both ICMR and Bharat Biotech are working on thee progress of the vaccine and preclinical trials currently, it adds.

"This is the first indigenous vaccine being developed by India and is one of the top priority projects which is being monitored at the topmost level of the Government," the statement says. "ICMR and BBIL are jointly working for the preclinical as well as clinical development of this vaccine."

ICMR also encourages the institutions to fast track any and all approvals needed to begin the trials and to finish recruiting subjects in five days of receiving the notice.

"Kindly note that non-compliance will be viewed seriously," the letter concludes, adding that the institutions ought to "treat the project on highest priority" and "meet the given timelines without any lapse".

India's first vaccine nominee against the novel coronavirus, received an approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for additional clinical trials of Phase I and 2 in infected people a week ago.

The vaccine is under evolution by Hyderabad-based biotechnology firm Bharat Biotech in affiliation with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV).