A day after India crossed the milestone of 100 crore vaccine doses, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the country's vaccination programme was science-born, science-driven and science-based , and asserted that it had been ensured there was no "VIP culture" in the drive.

In an address to the nation, the prime minister said there is confidence in the country today. From various strata of society to the economy, at every level and everywhere, there is "optimism, optimism and optimism", he said while also emphasising that people should not drop their guard during the festive season and continue with Covid appropriate behaviour such as masks.

Experts, as well as national and international agencies, are very positive about India's economy with Indian companies not only getting record investments but employment generation also taking place, Modi said.

Along with record investment in start-ups, record start-up unicorns are also being developed, he said.

Modi said it is a matter of pride for all that India's vaccination programme has been science-born, science-driven and science-based".

From the development of vaccines to inoculation, science and science-based approach have been involved in all processes, he asserted.

Taking a dig at critics of his government, the prime minister recalled that some people had asked how the 'taali-thaali' initiative and lighting of 'diyas' at the start of the pandemic would help eradicate the virus. The initiatives, he stressed, were a reflection of people's participation and unity.

Modi also talked about the apprehensions and doubts raised earlier on India's capacity to fight the pandemic.

Pointing out that several questions were raised, such as will the people of India get the vaccines or not and will India be able to vaccinate enough people to stop the pandemic from spreading, he said the 100 crore vaccine dose milestone is the answer to every question.

Modi said the milestone was not just about a number but a symbol of the country's capability and a picture of "new India".

" it is the writing of a new chapter, a country that knows how to set difficult targets and achieve them. It is a picture of that new India that has the strength to strive for achieving its goals," the prime minister said.

One impact of this milestone would be that the world would consider India safer from coronavirus, he said.

At the beginning of the Covid pandemic, fears were expressed that it would be very difficult to fight the disease in a democracy like India. It was also asked how would there be the restraint and discipline required to combat the pandemic but for us democracy means 'Sabka Saath', Modi said.

Taking everyone along, the country had started the campaign of 'Sabko Vaccine, Muft Vaccine', he noted.

The country, he said, had only one mantra -- that if the disease does not discriminate, then there cannot be any discrimination in the vaccination.

"That's why it was ensured that there is no VIP culture in the vaccination drive," he said.

"No matter how big a post one holds, no matter how rich he or she is, they will get vaccination just as a common person will," Modi said.

The prime minister urged people to keep following Covid protocol during the festival season and not drop their guard.

"No matter how good the shield is, how modern it is, there may be a guarantee of protection from the shield, but weapons are not laid down till the battle is on," the prime minister said, urging people to continue wearing masks and follow Covid appropriate behaviour.

In an opinion piece published on Friday to commemorate the landmark achievement of administering 100 crore Covid jabs, Modi noted that the feat was achieved in nine months despite many doubting the country's capability.

“There was a lot of pressure from different interest groups to give preferential treatment to them in vaccination,” he said, while giving credit to Indian scientists and entrepreneurs for rising to the occasion to make the country aatmanirbhar (self-reliant) in producing vaccines.

Outlining the enormity of the challenge, from producing the vaccine in plants of Pune and Hyderabad to ensuring last mile delivery across the country with seamless logistics, Modi said the drive has been an unprecedented effort in the history of independent India.

“When everyone takes ownership, nothing is impossible. Our healthcare workers traversed hills and crossed rivers across difficult geographies to vaccinate people. Our youth, social workers, healthcare workers, social and religious leaders, all deserve credit for the fact that India faces minimal vaccine hesitancy when compared to even developed nations,” he wrote in the piece, ‘Team India-Responding to Adversity with Achievement’ .

“Administering 100 crore doses of vaccines in just about nine months since the vaccination started has been a tremendous journey in dealing with the disease,” the prime minister said, noting that humanity was dealing with such a pandemic after 100 years and no one knew much about the virus following its outbreak in early 2020.

“We remember how unpredictable the situation appeared then, as we were faced by an unknown and invisible enemy mutating rapidly. The journey from anxiety to assurance has happened and our nation has emerged stronger, thanks to the world's largest vaccination drive,” he said.

“One of the reasons for the success of the campaign was the trust that people developed in the vaccine and the process followed, despite various efforts to create mistrust and panic,” he added.

Describing the exercise as “bhagirath (gigantic)” effort involving multiple sections of society, he pointed out that if it is assumed that a healthcare worker took just two minutes for every vaccination then at this rate it took around 41 lakh man days or approximately 11 thousand man years of effort to reach this landmark of 100 crore doses.

“There are some among us who only trust foreign brands, even for simply everyday necessities. However, when it came to something as crucial as the COVID-19 vaccine, the people of India unanimously trusted Made in India' vaccines. This is a significant paradigm shift,” he said.

“India's vaccine drive,” Modi added, “is an example of what the country can achieve if the citizens and the government come together with a common goal in the spirit of Jan Bhagidari (people's participation).”

Noting that only a handful of countries have developed their own vaccines so far, he said, “more than 180 countries are dependent on an extremely limited pool of producers and dozens of nations are still waiting for the supply of vaccines while India has crossed 100 crore doses.”