The Indian Drug Manufacturers Association (IDMA) has demanded the Central Government's intervention to pressurise Pakistan government to make changes in policies discriminating imports of bulk drugs from India.

In a representation to the ministry of chemicals & petrochemicals, the association noted that Pakistan gives protection to the local bulk drug production by increasing import duty on bulk drugs from 10 per cent to 35 per cent, while import duty on intermediaries remain at 10 per cent. This duty is applicable to import of bulk drug to that country from anywhere in the world. However, as far as India is concerned, the policy bans or prohibits import of bulk drugs from India once Pakistan has a local production of that bulk drug. While other countries from EU, China, Thailand, Korea etc. continue to export their bulk drugs to Pakistan in spite of local production in Pakistan, Indian imports are discriminated by that country citing local production.

There are many bulk drugs, which are locally produced in Pakistan, which include pyrazinamide, ampicillin, amoxycillin, cefalexin, ciprofloxacin, paracetamol, aspirin etc. Import of these products from India is prohibited while all other countries in the world continue exports to Pakistan, noted IDMA.

According to Pharmexcil sources, the contribution of Indian pharmaceutical exports to the total commodities exported to Pakistan was about 9.36 per cent in the 2003-04, which increased to 10.98 per cent during 2004-05. Import of pharmaceuticals by Pakistan from India accounts for over 15 per cent of its total pharmaceutical imports from across the world. Currently, majority of pharmaceutical imports by Pakistan is from China.

Pakistan has allowed import of selective formulations, with restrictions on import of certain formulations from across the world including India. Vaccines and some specialty products are allowed for imports.