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Botswana becomes 18th country to recognize IP as book of standards for medicines
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Shardul Nautiyal, Mumbai
November 14 , 2025
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Botswana has become the 18th country to officially sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to recognize Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) as a book of standards for medicines. This recognition of IP in Botswana will remove double regulation, duplication in testing and post importation checks. This will further facilitate easier access to quality and affordable Indian medicines in Botswana and hence boost Indian pharma exports.
This IP recognition makes Botswana one of several countries that have officially adopted the IP as a reference standard for drug quality, reflecting the growing international trust in India's robust scientific and regulatory frameworks.
An MoU to recognise IP in Botswana was signed between President Droupadi Murmu and Advocate Duma Gideon Boko, President of the Republic of Botswana, at the Presidential Office in Gaborone on November 12, 2025 during her visit to Botswana. This marks the first-ever Presidential visit from India to Botswana.
President Murmu also announced India’s decision to supply essential anti-retroviral (ARV) medicines to Botswana, responding to a request from its government.
These measures are expected to bolster India’s image as a trusted development partner in Africa, particularly in the health and pharmaceutical sectors. The visit, which follows President Murmu’s engagements in Angola, represents a significant step toward enhancing India’s diplomatic and developmental cooperation with Southern Africa.
This recognition is expected to boost India's pharmaceutical exports to Botswana by removing the need for duplicative testing and post-importation checks.
It also demonstrates a shared commitment to enhancing health collaboration as the two nations approach the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties.
The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) signed its first IP recognition MoU with Afghanistan in 2019, making it the first country to officially recognize the IP.
The MoUs on pharmacopoeial cooperation has earlier been signed with countries like Ghana, Nepal, Mauritius, Suriname, Nicaragua, Bhutan, Mozambique, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Nauru, Malawi, Guyana, Fiji, Cuba, Maldives, Trinidad and Tobago. These MoUs established the IP as the recognized compendium of standards for medicines in these countries.
The legal and scientific standards of IP are published at regular intervals by the IPC to assure the quality of medicinal products. Standards prescribed in the IP are authoritative in nature and are enforced by the regulatory authorities for quality control of medicines in India.
This also facilitates the exchange of information and documentation relating to the development of monographs of IP. This further enhances the ability of regulatory authorities in the provision of their services relating to or in connection with public health.
The recognition of IP in these foreign countries helps acceptance of the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) issued by Indian manufacturers as per IP and to do away with requirement of duplicate testing of the medicines in these foreign countries.
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