NEW DELHI - India's health ministry said on Tuesday its drug regulator had found that safety and immunogenicity data from a local trial of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine was comparable to that of a late-stage trial done in Russia.

The vaccine has now been "recommended for grant of permission for restricted use in emergency situations subject to various regulatory provisions", the ministry said, commenting on the approval earlier confirmed by the drug's marketing agencies. 

The vaccine can now be imported, it said.

(Reporting by Krishna N. Das; Editing by Kim Coghill) ((Krishna.Das@tr.com; +91 987111 8314;))