Import of APIs from China to India resumes amid the Coronavirus Outbreak

New Delhi, March 26: Following the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic all over the world and the drugs needed for combating against the virus in India, the import of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and other raw materials from China has been restarted again.

  

As China is the worst-hit country after the virus had arrived there since December, the export of raw materials from that country to India was disrupted as several manufacturing companies had ceased operations. Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council (Pharmexcil) had reported that they have been receiving the drugs and other raw materials from China started 10 days ago from all the provinces except one province. “The import of raw materials from China commenced about 10 days ago and we are now receiving them from all provinces except one,” R Uday Bhaskar, Director-General of Pharmexcil noted.

 

 

According to Pharmexcil data, India imports about $2.5-billion worth of APIs from China. The industry had earlier expressed concern over the disruption of imports from China and said the existing inventory would be adequate to run production for up to three months. A Pharmexcil official said that the resumption of imports was a good development.

 

Chinese manufacturers have also made themselves available to supply personal protection equipment to India which will be crucial in fighting the virus. “We have been approached on this by China only yesterday and are working on it,” he added.

 

However, India suspending all the transportation and imposing a complete lockdown across the entire nation, the state of internal logistics and the inability to move shipments are a concern. India is at a setback for obtaining both imports of raw materials from China, and pharma exports, because of the cancellation of all flights, suspension of operations at ports, and trucks off roads.

 

“Most of the exports have not been lifted from airports and ports from the beginning of this month. Restrictions on pharma exports are also a matter of worry for the industry now,” said a senior functionary of a leading Hyderabad-based pharma company.

 

Earlier, in the last month, India had decided to take the initiative to help China, as it had been battling against the deadly coronavirus so it had lifted the ban on the export of personal protection equipment, including surgical masks, disposable masks, all kinds of gloves. All these requirements were exported by Indian manufacturers quickly to help the Chinese authorities fight the health pandemic.