Japan and the United States are set to exclude Russian COVID-19 vaccines from a list of items subject to financial assistance when manufactured in developing countries, sources familiar with the plan said Tuesday.

The move, which comes as Western nations step up sanctions against Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, is in particular aimed at dissuading India from fulfilling an agreement to produce Russian vaccines under the funding support program, the sources said.

India has built close relations with Russia, including cooperation in the fields of energy and military technology.