With an aim to boost the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) manufacturing industry on a bigger scale in India, the central government has decided to declare the year 2015 as ‘Year of API’. The government has planned a launch ceremony of  '2015- The Year of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients' in New Delhi on February 25.

As majority of pharmaceutical manufacturers in the country are totally depending on low cost Chinese APIs, the government of India has decided to contain over dependence of Indian pharma on Chinese imports and save the Industry in the long run. As part of this, the government under its much campaigned ‘Make in India’ programme had decided to declare 2015 year as 'Year of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients'. Bulk Drug Manufacturers Association of India (BDMA) has been nominated as the nodal body to organise various activities throughout the year under this banner to project India as a major API producer globally.

Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) and BDMA in association with other API related organisations such as IDMA, IPA and Pharmexcil have planned a launch ceremony of '2015- The Year of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients' in New Delhi on February 25.  Union minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers, secretary DoP, secretary Commerce, and DCGI are expected to interact with bulk drug manufacturers and industry stakeholders on the occasion.  

“Department of Pharmaceutical is keen on encouraging bulk drug and API manufacturing industry on a bigger scale in the country. As part of this we are planning to taking up various encouraging initiatives for the manufacturers in the country and have decided to declare 2015 as year of API,” says Sudhansh Pant, Joint secretary, DoP, while talking to media in Hyderabad.

According to BDMA, the government is expected to release a new policy on bulk drugs by March 2015. To this effect, the association is given responsibility to conduct awareness programs and meetings in Hyderabad, Ahmadabad, Mumbai and Bangalore with state ministers and senior officials from Health, Industry and Environment Ministries of these states along with stakeholders.

As per industry experts, demand for bulk drugs is rising dramatically. Indian industry has considerable manufacturing expertise and is likely to take a large role globally. India’s pharmaceutical exports totalled around $12 billion in 2014 and estimated rise to approximately $20 billion by 2020. Costs are very competitive in India as compared to the western countries. Indian companies have shown great capabilities in this field and have reputation of having highest US FDA-approved manufacturing facilities outside the US. India is now being seen as 'Pharmacy of the world'. Indian companies now have an opportunity to partner with global players.

Under the Make in India initiative, it is expected that the government will simplify many existing policies and also provide incentives to give a major thrust to the growth of Indian bulk drug industry to make it a formidable force globally. Government also aims to create dedicated Pharma Industrial Parks with proper infrastructure to provide sustained growth for this sector.