NEW DELHI, July 21, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - India has approved its first dengue vaccine, authorising the use of Japanese drugmaker Takeda's Qdenga jab, the health ministry said on Tuesday.

Dengue, which causes severe flu-like symptoms and debilitating body aches, has exploded globally, fuelled by rising temperatures and densely populated cities.

India's Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) approved the vaccine for people between the ages of four and 60 after reviewing its quality, safety and efficacy, the ministry said.

"The vaccine is indicated for the prevention of dengue disease in individuals 4 to 60 years of age," it said in a statement.

Qdenga is given as two injections, three months apart.

Takeda has a collaboration with Indian vaccine maker Biological E, aimed at expanding the drug's manufacturing.

The vaccine protects against all four dengue virus serotypes and is approved in 42 countries, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Indonesia.

It has also received World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification.

More than 24 million doses have been distributed worldwide, with no major safety concerns reported so far, the ministry said.

Dengue has spread rapidly in recent decades due to urbanisation, climate change and changing weather patterns.

According to the WHO, nearly half the world's population is at risk, with an estimated 100 million to 400 million infections each year.

Since 2021, India has reported more than one million dengue cases and at least 1,500 deaths, according to the latest official data.

India is also set to get its own dengue vaccine with Panacea Biotec's candidate, DengiAll, having entered the final stage of clinical trials.

Once approved, it would become one of the world's first single-dose dengue vaccines.