India has approved a variety of COVID-19 vaccines for use, with distinct categories for manufacturing, emergency use for primary vaccination, and booster doses. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) issued this public notice on August 11, 2025. Here’s a breakdown of the approved vaccines based on their status and usage.
Approved for Manufacture for Sale or Distribution
These three vaccines have received full approval for manufacture and distribution in the country:
- Covishield (M/s Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd.) was approved on January 27, 2022, for individuals 18 years and older. It requires two intramuscular doses administered 4 to 6 weeks apart, with a shelf life of 9 months as of October 4, 2022.
- Covaxin (M/s Bharat Biotech International Limited) was approved on January 27, 2022, for individuals 18 years and older. The two doses are given on Day 0 and Day 28 via intramuscular injection, with a shelf life of 12 months as of October 4, 2022.
- Corbevax (M/s Biological E Limited) was approved on July 1, 2025, for individuals 12 years and older. This intramuscular vaccine is administered in two doses on Day 0 and Day 28, and its shelf life is 12 months as of October 4, 2022.
All three vaccines were initially approved for Restricted Use in an Emergency Situation.
Approved for Emergency Use (Primary Vaccination)
A number of other vaccines have been approved for a primary vaccination series under restricted emergency use:
- Sputnik-V (M/s Dr. Reddy’s Lab. Ltd. and M/s Panacea Biotec Ltd.) is a two-dose intramuscular vaccine approved for individuals 18 years and older.
- Moderna vaccine (M/s Cipla Ltd.) is a two-dose intramuscular vaccine for individuals 18 years and older, approved on June 29, 2021.
- Janssen Vaccine (M/s Johnson & Johnson Pvt. Ltd. and M/s Biological E Limited) is a single-dose intramuscular vaccine for those 18 years and older.
- ZyCoV-D (M/s Cadila Healthcare Limited) is a three-dose intradermal vaccine approved for individuals 12 years and older. A two-dose schedule for the same age group was later approved on April 26, 2022.
- Covovax (M/s Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd.) is a two-dose intramuscular vaccine initially approved on December 28, 2021, for individuals 18 years and older, with later approvals for younger age groups.
- Sputnik Light (M/s Dr. Reddy’s Lab. Ltd. and M/s Hetero Biopharma Ltd.) is a single-dose intramuscular vaccine approved for individuals 18 years and older.
- HGCO19 (M/s Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Limited) is a two-dose intramuscular vaccine for those 18 years and older, approved on June 28, 2022.
- iNCOVACC (M/s Bharat Biotech International Limited) is a two-dose intra-nasal vaccine for individuals 18 years and older, approved on September 6, 2022.
Approved for Booster Doses
Several vaccines have also been approved for use as a third, or booster, dose:
- Corbevax (M/s Biological E Limited) was approved on June 3, 2022, as a single booster dose for individuals 18 years and older who have completed their primary vaccination with either Covaxin or Covishield.
- Covovax (M/s Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd.) was approved on January 16, 2023, as a single booster dose for individuals 18 years and older who have completed their primary vaccination with Covaxin or Covishield.
- ZyCoV-D (M/s Zydus Lifesciences Limited) was approved on April 20, 2023, as a single booster dose for those 18 and older, administered 6 months after a two-dose primary series of either Covaxin or Covishield.
- iNCOVACC (M/s Bharat Biotech International Limited) was approved on November 24, 2022, for individuals over 18 years of age, to be administered as a booster dose 6 months after a primary series of Covaxin or Covishield.
- GEMCOVAC-OM (M/s Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Limited) was approved on July 7, 2023, as a single booster dose for individuals 18 years and older, administered at least 4 months after completing a primary vaccination with either Covishield or Covaxin.