The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent a proposal to India to set up its first liaison office in Delhi for better coordination with the regulatory authorities and the industry on ensuring safety of food and medicinal products being exported from here.

"The US FDA has put up a proposal in this regard and we are considering the same for approval. They are looking for an office or two for better liaisoning with the Indian officials and the industry," an official of the Union health ministry confirmed.

The US has recently announced its plans to set up offices in India, China, Europe and Latin America to work closely with the regulators and industries on ensuring the safety of products being shipped and in the wake of increasing interest in the Indian pharma sector. The first office is to be set up in Delhi and a second office could come up in Mumbai. The FDA also said at least 10 US officials are expected to be in place by the end of this year.

"FDA personnel in India would work closely with Indian regulators and Indian industries shipping products to the US FDA personnel would do more inspections in India," secretary of Health and Human Services Michael O Leavitt was quoted saying. "They would also work with government and private sector to establish third-party certification programmes," he said.

As per the proposal sent to India, the American agency wanted to increase monitoring of units with regular inspections and besides helping the Indian industry in getting clearances and easing procedures for exports of food and medicines, according to the health ministry official.

However, the recent controversy about the Ranbaxy products in the US has accelerated the process of setting up liaison offices in the country though they had been planning the same for some time now and the FDA has been under increased pressure to keep a tab on Indian exporters.

"We are making steady progress to better safeguard our supply of food and medicines, though much work remains. In the past year, we have upgraded labs and equipment, hired additional staff, and begun implementing product safety agreements with key trading partners, including China," according to the US official.

It is being pointed out that last year the US imported more than USD 2 trillion worth of products, from roughly 825,000 importers, through over 300 Ports of Entry. All projections indicate this volume will continue to rise sharply over the coming years as the scale and complexity of international trade multiplies.