India may face shortage of drugs as supplies from Chinese companies dry up

Almost 60% of India's total bulk drug requirements are imported from China

Apart from Vitamin C, there is currently no shortage of medicines in chemist shops, but this situation could change soon. Industry insiders say antibiotics, steroids, and other drugs are becoming hard to find because sourcing bulk drugs from China continues to remain a challenge.

Almost 60 per cent of India’s bulk drugs are imported from China. Supplies have been disrupted owing to Chinese companies upgrading their plants or shutting down over environmental concerns.

The data shows a dip in volumes for formulations for which bulk drugs or chemical compounds used in producing active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are not available in