India has initiated an exercise to identify and seek resolution for market access issues its drugs and pharmaceuticals face in SAARC countries and Iran.
The Foreign Trade (South Asia) Division in the Department of Commerce is collecting inputs on the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS), Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and market access issues, pharma exporters body Pharmexcil said seeking details from its members recently.
Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Maldives, Pakistan, Bhutan, which are SAARC members, as well as Iran are the countries for which the details are sought.
The inputs are needed for an upcoming crucial meeting with all export promotion councils, Indian Missions, Ministry of External Affairs and the EP Pharma Division of the Department of Commerce, Director General Raja Bhanu said in a communication recently.
Besides details of the SPS/TBT related as well as market access issues country wise, the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) sought specific suggestions or possible solutions to address the identified challenges as well as list of potential products which have scope of growth country wise.
It also wanted details on how the trade, with the countries, is affected due to the West Asia war and crisis.
Pharma exports to the eight countries in 2024-25 stood around $1.2 billion. India’s total pharma exports in the same fiscal year was $30.47 billion. | Photo Credit: guteksk7
Pharmexcil said it will consolidate and present to the FT(SA) Division the information, shared by the members. Pharma exports to the eight countries in 2024-25 stood around $1.2 billion. India’s total pharma exports in the same fiscal year was $30.47 billion.