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The Indian pharmaceutical industry is stressing on the need to draw on the advantages of backward integration, partnerships and internal sourcing to reduce import dependence.
Dr. Sujit Paul, Group CEO, Zota Healthcare increasingly insists a ‘Swadeshi’ push in pharma to reduce import dependence. India had been termed the ‘pharmacy of the world’, supplying low-cost medicines to about 200 countries. But here is a paradox, it is a producer of pharma products of global fame, yet it is so dependent on imports for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and other critical raw materials. With some 65-70 % of its requirements being imported, a good share from China, India remains vulnerable to supply shocks, price fluctuations, and geopolitical tensions. So, India needs to pursue a Swadeshi push in pharma for its healthcare self-reliance, he said.
Expensive medicines are available to all citizens. But affordable should mean prices sustained by domestic capabilities, which keep costs down and maintain the kind of long-term stability. Swadeshi is no slogan of nationalism; it is an absolute economic necessity if we wish to shield our healthcare systems from external volatilities, he added.
Swadeshi push as a matter of strategy, yes, but also as a matter of conscience. Through reducing our import dependence, we ensure our country's health, strengthen our economy, and fulfil the vision of creating India a genuinely self-sufficient healthcare giant, noted Dr Paul.
Union government has already made some forays in this direction through a PLI scheme and by setting up bulk drug parks. These are measures that are anticipated to provide incentives for domestic production of APIs and intermediates. For manufacturers of generic medicines, it is a chance to establish deep backward integration, collaborate with Indian manufacturers, and enhance indigenous sourcing without dilution on the quality front, he said.
Reducing dependence on imports also benefits public health equity. In the pandemic situation, when international supply chains were interrupted, India suffered sporadic price volatility and unavailability of critical medicines. Building local capabilities translates into ensuring that life-saving medicines are not interrupted, particularly for needy groups in semi-urban and rural India.
No less crucial is the contribution of technology and innovation. AI-based forecasting, optimised supply chain designs, and mass-scale digitisation can streamline domestic production and limit wastage. Applying the same principles to indigenous API manufacture can give an independent system cost, quality, and scalability in equilibrium.
In addition, a Swadeshi push falls into place within the larger scheme of Atmanirbhar Bharat. With indigenous pharma capacity creation, India can meet domestic requirements and even emerge as a world substitute for China in the bulk drug industry. This would raise India's standing, create employment, and draw in foreign investment in R&D and production.
The way forward requires strong collaboration among policymakers, industry producers, academia, and healthcare workers. The industry players must invest in capacity building and skill upgradation while the government offers a stable financial and regulatory environment. Together, we can minimise India's dependency on imports and become more proactive about its pharmaceutical sovereignty.
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