Lok Sabha Question No. 3698 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-17
Subject: Drug Import and Export
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Ramcharan Bohra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICALS

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. †3698 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 17 th  March, 2020

## Drug Import and Export

## †3698. SHRI RAMCHARAN BOHRA:

Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details regarding the quantity and cost of import and export of medicines/drugs during each of the last three years and the current year, countrywise;
- (b) whether the country is dependent on imports particularly from China to meet the heavy demand of essential medicines and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
- (d)  the  measures  taken  by  the  Government  to  encourage  Indian  Pharmaceutical companies to increase their production so as to reduce the dependency on imports and also to promote export of medicines/ drugs?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS (SHRI D. V. SADANANDA GOWDA)

(a): The  details  of  quantity  and  cost  of  import  and  export  of  medicines/drugs during each of the last three years and the current year, major country-wise is as following :

## DRUG FORMULATIONS, BIOLOGICALS Import data from 2016-2019:

| Country                          |   2016-17 Volume (in Kgs) | 2016-17 (Value in US $)   | 2017-18 Volume (in Kgs)   | 2017-18 (Value in US $)   | 2018-19 Volume (in Kgs)   | 2018-19 (Value in US $)   |   2019-20 Volume (in Kgs) (April 19- Dec 19) | 2019-20 (Value in US $) (April 19- Dec 19)   |
|----------------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
| USA                              |                    457463 | 285890 072                | 595831                    | 3094826 18                | 683589                    | 27017597 9                |                                       722982 | 23243531 6                                   |
| Germany                          |                    553743 | 232268 654                | 842317                    | 2074693 00                | 937470                    | 20086166 3                |                                       750863 | 14968430 4                                   |
| France                           |                    224924 | 141889 389                | 227511                    | 1222867 86                | 401566                    | 13166833 5                |                                       525783 | 11095074 7                                   |
| China                            |                    800533 | 135207 004                | 129222 6                  | 1287714 68                | 1704937                   | 14949866 2                |                                      1495056 | 14729469 9                                   |
| Switzerlan d                     |                    111900 | 105552 151                | 194362                    | 1326658 26                | 521474                    | 30204756 8                |                                       509253 | 21975965 7                                   |
| Total Imports from all countries |                   4325475 | 166217 5762               | 914093 5                  | 1840778 441               | 1903078 8                 | 20185631 23               |                                     17914366 | 17671290 89                                  |

## DRUG FORMULATIONS, BIOLOGICALS Export data from 2016-2019:

| Country                        | 2016-17 Volume (in Kgs)   | 2016-17 (Value in US $)   | 2017-18 Volume (in Kgs)   | 2017-18 (Value in US $)   | 2018-19 Volume (in Kgs)   | 2018-19 (Value in US $)   | 2019-20 Volume (in Kgs) (April 19- Dec 19)   | 2019-20 (Value in US $) (April 19- Dec 19)   |
|--------------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|
| USA                            | 721699 19                 | 505782 9263               | 674926 81                 | 4601523 089               | 556305 76                 | 532720 5621               | 40309985                                     | 43736750 242                                 |
| UK                             | 188100 63                 | 439431 269                | 137722 56                 | 4544503 41                | 113255 10                 | 524317 178                | 6608351                                      | 32907494 1                                   |
| South Africa                   | 861314 0                  | 389027 509                | 873811 9                  | 4795308 49                | 844108 5                  | 525454 816                | 5170803                                      | 39270135 4                                   |
| China                          | 354846                    | 231784 36                 | 520470                    | 2676908 2                 | 667317                    | 331529 30                 | 342458                                       | 31007724                                     |
| Total Exports to all countries | 352124 554                | 126664 40148              | 320564 438                | 1290909 3200              | 307467 690                | 143887 94412              | 18871393 4                                   | 12017224 892                                 |

(Source: DGCIS Kolkata)

- (b)  &  (c): As  per  Directorate  General  of  Commercial  Intelligence  and  Statistics (DGCIS)  Kolkata,  during  the  year  2018-19,  the  share  of  China  in  the  total  bulk drugs/APIs imported into the country was approximately 67 per cent. Some of these bulk drugs/APIs are also used for manufacturing essential medicines. The imports from China are mainly due to economic considerations. The details of India's imports of Bulk Drugs/ Drug Intermediates and Drug Formulations (including from China) are as under:
- (d):  The  policies  formulated  by  Government  from  time  to  time  are  designed  to minimize country's dependence  on imports and to give fillip to indigenous manufacturing.  In  this  direction,  with  the  objective  to  ensure  drug  security  in  the country by increasing the efficiency and competitiveness of domestic pharmaceutical industry the Department of Pharmaceuticals has prepared an umbrella scheme for Development  of  Pharmaceuticals  Industry  with  the  following  sub-schemes:  (a) Assistance  to  Bulk  Drug  Industry  for  Common  Facility  Centre;  (b)  Assistance  to Medical Device Industry for Common Facility Centre; (c) Pharmaceuticals Technology Upgradation Assistance Scheme (PTUAS); (d) Assistance to Pharmaceutical Industry for Common Facilities; and (e) Pharmaceutical Promotion Development Scheme (PPDS).

| Import of Pharmaceutical products   | Import of Pharmaceutical products   | Import of Pharmaceutical products           | Import of Pharmaceutical products   |
|-------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
| Item                                | Imports during 2018-19 (In US $ mn) | Imports from China during 2018-19 (US $ mn) | Percent of Imports from China       |
| Bulk Drug, Drug Intermediate        | 3560.3                              | 2405.42                                     | 67.56%                              |
| Drug Formulations, Biologicals      | 2018.56                             | 149.49                                      | 7.40%                               |

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