Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa that India will continue to give due importance to the Neighborhood First policy while collectively fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.<br />'' <br />''Mr Modi was responding to the congratulatory messages of leaders from neighbouring countries over India's landmark launch of the world's largest vaccination drive against COVID-19 on 16th of this month.<br />'' <br />''Earlier, in a tweet, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa congratulated Prime Minister Modi on the successful roll out of COVID-19 vaccine and his generosity towards friendly neighbouring countries.<br />'' <br />''In his message on India's largest vaccination drive, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said they are starting to see the beginning of the end to this devastating pandemic.<br />'' <br />''Responding to the congratulatory message of Maldivian President Ibrahim Solih, the Prime Minister said, Indian scientists and health warriors have risen to the occasion and the vaccines being developed and manufactured in India will help our people as well as humanity at large in escaping from the COVID-19 pandemic.<br />'' <br />''Earlier, in a tweet, the Maldivian President greeted Prime Minister Modi and the Indian government for its landmark programme to vaccinate India's population against COVID-19. Mr Solih said, he is highly confident that India will be successful in the endeavour and that they are finally seeing an end to the COVID-19 scourge.<br />'' <br />''<span style="color: #222222;">In his message on the massive COVID-19 vaccination drive started by India, Bhutan Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering expressed hope that it comes as an answer to pacify all the sufferings the world has endured during this pandemic.</span><br />