Even before President Donald Trump warned India of possible retaliation if the ban on export on hydroxychloroquine was not lifted on Monday, the Modi government had communicated to all countries including US about the change in the policy to facilitate supply of critical drugs through institutionalised channels.
The empowered committee chaired by PM Modi’s principal secretary PK Mishra took a decision on Monday to lift export restrictions on 14 drugs and allow the export of hydroxychloroquine and paracetamol after an assessment of potential domestic demand and existing supplies.
“It is not only about hydroxychloroquine or the US. Indian pharma industry supplies HIV drugs to 8 million patients in south Africa, paracetamol to the UK, 80 % of all drugs to the neighbourhood including Maldives and Mauritius, and will supply hydroxychloroquine to big countries affected by the coronavirus like the US, Spain, Germany and Brazil. For the past three days since the DGFT put a ban on export of hydroxychloroquine on April 4, the empowered committee has been meeting to reconcile the demands of the health ministry and the pharmaceutical industry. We informed all the countries including the US about the change in policy. It is a matter of record,” said a senior South Block official.
According to sources, the change in the export policy of critical drugs was communicated to the countries concerned through the External Affairs Ministry early on Monday. The DGFT was told to issue a notification to this effect.
The formal announcement by the foreign ministry was made on Tuesday.