Yes, absolutely. People don't understand the concept of vaccines : it is pretty much a herd immunity philosophy. That the vaccines got developed so quickly, and yet contained the pandemic so effectively, is nothing short of a miracle of science.
If we had 8 years, we would have developed a safer, cheaper, more effective vaccine. But a billion would be dead by then.
This is absolutely false. No "pros" supported insanities like the "kumbh mela". And the pro Punawalla asked for manufacturing funds in October which were rejected/forgotten, so Indian vaccine production ramped up way too late. No "pros" supported the "gomutra parties" that were happening by elected legislators until 3 days before lockdown.
The lower numbers in India need to be seen in the context of :
1. Indian people being closely genetically related to Pakistan, Bangladesh and somewhat closely to those of Nepal and Sri Lanka.
2. In 2020, covid case rates and death rates in India was 3-4 times that of all those countries.
3. In 2021, after kumbh mela, covid case rates and death rates in India and Nepal were 50 times the other 2 countries mentioned. Nepal's "King", and many others, came to India for bath and carrying covid home.
4. The effect is reflected in GDP growth as well. India -7% , Bangladesh 0%, Pakistan -0.7%. So these are not simply badly recorded covid cases. All GDP numbers were later adjusted slightly to the higher side of course, but these were initial estimates.
4. People of recent Indian origin in western countries were far far less affected by covid than the natives. This is the only "fact" I am giving that is not available as data, because it is "racist" to conduct such research 
