PMO says no to China Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient imports

New Delhi: China has the biggest market in India for its exports, akin to its other markets now the pharmaceutical export trade has come under budge after PMO impelled for "Make in India" for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API's) of drugs that are at present imported from European countries, "including 60 per cent from China alone and in total about 84 percent of the API's from other countries," stated officials in the Central Drugs and Standards Control Organization (CDSCO) to

The Indian Express.

Valuing between the ranges of Rs 8,000-10,000 crore, the Chinese API imports market in India has now come under doubts of existence as speedy push to wash off imports is on run by PMO.

In this effort instructions towards production of API's in India itself have been laid: progressing the change by PMO to NITI Ayog, Union Health Ministry and Ministries of Commerce, Industry and Chemicals & Fertilizers.

Two meetings, regarding advantages that the Chinese manufacturers draw by their exports to India have taken place in the past week, one of which was held between senior officials in the Ministries of Health, Commerce, Industry, Chemicals & Fertilizers involving the NITI Ayog. The other one was held between representatives from the pharmaceutical industry and the Health Ministry officials.

The estimated cost of formulation market itself in India is worth Rs 100,000 crore, told industry sources to the daily.

While the Drug controller General and Standards Control Organization (CDSCO) is in progress to setup a regulatory office in China to keep a watch on the quality of its exports to India, India will probably begin making some of the at present exported products and API's for pharmaceutical use in India itself.

The meeting of industry representatives with the Health Ministry and Family welfare ministry came as fruitful with evaluation that the Chinese industry was provided with huge volume advantage and greater support from the government. China has acquired such a big market in India because of the reasons that companies here paid much more for effluent treatment and power and thus the products which are produced inside the country are much more costlier than products imported from China.

The centre has asked the industry officials in the meeting to come up with an action plan on how the government can intervene in the production of these active pharmaceutical ingredients in India itself.