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Bulk drug import from China grows 64 per cent in five years
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Gireesh Babu, New Delhi
December 17 , 2024
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Even as the government is working towards reducing import dependence on medicine raw materials through various schemes, the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) or bulk drugs, and drug intermediates imports from China has reported a growth of 64.5 per cent in Rupee terms in five years.
According to data from the ministry of chemicals and fertilisers, the import of bulk drugs has increased to Rs. 27,055 crore in 2023-24 from Rs. 16,443 crore in 2019-20. Imports from China account for a major portion of the overall pharma raw material imports to the country.
The imports from China during 2023-24 have registered a growth of 5.89 per cent compared to the Rs. 25,551 crore imports reported in the year 2022-23. However, in terms of increase in imports, this was lower growth compared to the almost 10 per cent growth reported in 2022-23, as against the Rs. 23,273 crore imports registered in 2021-22.
In terms of quantity, the growth during the five years has been almost 56 per cent to 3,44,152.8 metric tonne in 2023-24, as against 2,20,875.2 metric tonne in 2019-20. The quantity imported in 2023-24 was 14.7 per cent more than 3,00,120.2 metric tonne imported in 2022-23, according to the data submitted by the Ministry in the Lok Sabha.
As reported earlier, in terms of US Dollar, India has seen the overall imports of bulk drugs and intermediates declining 13.2 per cent in the first six months of the current fiscal year, as compared to the same period of previous fiscal year. The quarter ended September 30, 2024, reported a decline of 33.5 per cent compared to the same period of last year.
The overall imports of bulk drugs and drug intermediates during the period from April to the end of September, 2024 stood at $1.934 billion as against $2.228 billion in the same period of previous fiscal year.
Imports from China, which accounted for almost 74 per cent of the overall imports during the first half of this fiscal year, reported a decline of 10.38 per cent to $1.44 billion, as compared to $1.60 billion imported during April to September, 2023. This is following a meagre growth of less than one per cent reported in April to September, 2023, as compared to $1.59 billion imports from the neighbouring country reported during the same period of previous fiscal year, according to data from the ministry of commerce and industry.
The Central government has been emphasising on reducing the imports of essential pharmaceutical raw materials such as bulk drugs, drug intermediates and key starting materials, among others, and has initiated various incentive schemes to support domestic production of these materials.
The Department of Pharmaceuticals has even recently revised its guidelines for the scheme PLI scheme for promotion of domestic manufacturing of critical key starting materials (KSMs)/drug intermediates and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in the country, to support the industry in various aspects regarding ease of doing business and availing the benefits of the Scheme.
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