Police officers walk around graffiti depicting COVID-19 coronavirus safety protocols during an awareness campaign in Hyderabad, India, on Tuesday. India reported more than 28 million cases as of Tuesday, the second most in the world following the US. Photo: AFP

India's government will provide free COVID-19 vaccinations for all adults, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Monday, as the capital New Delhi and financial hub Mumbai eased lockdowns on falling infection levels.

The nation of 1.3 billion people was hit by a massive coronavirus surge with record-breaking infections and deaths in April and May, becoming the second worst-hit nation after the US with just under 29 million infections.

Authorities in Delhi and Mumbai, as well as other cities and states, imposed restrictions on movement and activities.

The national government expanded its vaccination drive for over-45s to everyone above 18 from May, but state authorities and private hospitals had to procure and pay for jabs for those aged below 45.

"All those above 18, people will get free vaccinations," the Indian leader said in a live televised address, announcing the start of the program on June 21.

Modi said the vaccination rollout would be "taken back by the central government," following claims from states that there were insufficient shots.

Under the new policy, 75 percent of all vaccines made in India would be purchased by the national government with private hospitals able to purchase 25 percent.

Modi added that supplies would increase soon with other jabs in advanced trial stages in India.

The country has administered just under 233 million vaccine shots so far, but experts say the program needs to be significantly stepped up to better combat the virus spread.

The prime minister's announcement came after Delhi and Mumbai cautiously lifted some of their lockdown restrictions, but warned residents to remain vigilant against the disease.

Some shops and malls reopened in Delhi and the city's metro services were operating at 50 percent capacity.

The northern city was reporting an average of 25,000 daily cases during its peak. It fell to 231 infections on Monday, officials said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also announced that city officials would conduct door-to-door visits to enroll the over-45s for vaccinations.

Maharashtra, India's richest state of which Mumbai is the capital, eased restrictions based on infection rates and hospital bed occupancy.

AFP