India cuts China bulk-drug reliance

Bulk drugs accounted for 63% of the total pharmaceutical imports in the country during FY 2018-19

- Priyanka Sharma

Indian companies have started manufacturing important bulk drugs or active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) under the government's production linked incentive (PLI) scheme.

The production of Penicillin G and Clavulanic Acid began in October last year. Other APIs already in production include Atorvastatin, Sulfadiazine, Telmisartan, Olmesartan, Para Amino Phenol (raw material for paracetamol) and Oxcarbazepine.

The development is set to make India less reliant on China for imports of raw material used by the pharmaceutical industry.

These bulk drugs are largely used as antibiotics and to manage non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes.