India has called for stronger global cooperation, equitable access to pandemic tools and sustained investment in health systems as countries work to prepare for the next pandemic.

Representing India at the UN High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response in New York on September 25, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava said the lessons of COVID-19 must translate into long-term investments, stronger institutions and resilient health systems.

Addressing the meeting at the UN headquarters, Srivastava outlined India’s approach to pandemic preparedness, spanning laboratory networks, emergency coordination, health workforce capacity, stockpiles and clinical care.

She stressed that preparedness must be embedded in national health systems, development plans and domestic financing, with international assistance complementing—not replacing—national responsibility.

India backs digital health as global public good

Drawing on India’s experience during COVID-19, Srivastava called for digital public infrastructure to be recognised as a global public good.

Digital systems, she said, played a critical role during the pandemic in surveillance, vaccination, risk communication, supply chains and maintaining essential health services.

She also highlighted India’s role in supporting other countries during the crisis. India supplied 300 million vaccine doses to around 100 countries and two UN entities, while providing medical assistance to more than 150 countries.

Srivastava said the effort reflected India’s commitment to the principle of “One Earth, One Health” and to the Global South.

India presses for fair pathogen access and benefit sharing

A key focus of India’s intervention was the WHO Pandemic Agreement, adopted in May 2025.

Srivastava described the agreement as an important milestone but said its credibility would hinge on a fair Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system.

Countries that contribute pathogens and biological resources, she said, must receive timely access to vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics, technologies and other benefits, while national sovereignty is respected.

She also said the political declaration should not prejudge ongoing negotiations on the PABS annex and should be implemented in accordance with national circumstances and capacities.

On the ‘One Health’ approach, Srivastava called for implementation consistent with domestic law, international law and national circumstances.

She further stressed that member states must remain closely involved in reviewing and consolidating pandemic prevention, preparedness and response tools, assessments and data, particularly where such processes have policy implications.

Global solidarity through action

Concluding her remarks, Srivastava framed pandemic preparedness as a collective responsibility and called for equity to remain at the centre of global efforts to confront future outbreaks. “Global solidarity must be demonstrated through action,” she said.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also urged countries to move faster on strengthening global pandemic preparedness. He pointed to progress since COVID-19, including the WHO Pandemic Agreement and amendments to the International Health Regulations, while stressing the urgency of concluding negotiations on the PABS system.

He warned that delays could affect the world's ability to respond effectively to future pandemics.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed cautioned countries against becoming complacent after COVID-19 and called for sustained political attention to pandemic preparedness.

She also highlighted the importance of community-based systems for early detection, surveillance and communication, enabling emerging outbreaks to be identified and contained early.

The high-level meeting brought together Member States and other stakeholders to assess progress, identify gaps and renew efforts to build resilient, equitable and sustainable systems capable of responding to future health emergencies.