Biden Asia chief 'relatively confident' on billion vaccine timing despite India crisis

FILE PHOTO: People wearing face masks ride motorcycles as a municipal vehicle decontaminates a road during a 21-day nationwide lockdown to slow the spreading of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Chennai, India, April 9, 2020. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden's Indo-Pacific policy chief said on Tuesday he was "relatively confident" a target for the production of a billion vaccine doses for the region by the end of 2022 would be met, despite the COVID-19 crisis in India, where they are due to be made.

Asked at an event hosted by the Center for a New American Security think tank if he expected a delay in the four-nation plan, which was announced at the White House in March with great fanfare, Kurt Campbell said Washington had been in close consultation with India and others involved in the project.