New Delhi : The ministry of commerce and industry has stated that it has relaxed most of the restrictions or prohibitions imposed by the Ministry on the products including drug formulations, diagnostic kits and medical devices to manage Covid-19 pandemic in the recent months due to drastic increase in production of these items and adequate stock availability.
During Covid-19 period, the export policy of items such as 2/3 ply masks, N-95 masks, sanitisers, PPE coveralls, face shields, medical goggles, gloves, all types of ventilators, 13 APIs and drug formulations, diagnostic kits and 12 laboratory reagents, textile raw material for masks and coveralls etc. were amended from time to time in consultation with the concerned line Ministries.
The Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) had issued 31 notifications amending the export policy of various items during the Covid-19 period. The amendments were carried out to ensure availability of critical items in India to fight this pandemic. The DGFT regularly took up issues of the exporters during the Covid-19 period with the concerned Ministries and facilitated policy relaxations of these items as the domestic production increased.
“Most of these restrictions/prohibitions have been relaxed in the recent months due to drastic increase in production of these items and adequate stock availability,” said the Ministry in its Annual Report for the year 2021-22. As a latest, it has removed the restrictions on exports of formulations and active pharmaceutical ingredients of medicines including remdesivir and amphotericin-B.
The DGFT also assisted Ministry of External Affairs in its Covid-19 diplomacy and processed and issued around 250 exemptions to 114 countries allowing items like hydroxychloroquine, paracetamol, ventilators, masks and coveralls etc. for export to these countries to fight Covid-19 pandemic from April to June 2020.
It has also provided inputs to various agencies like the ministry of health, department of pharmaceuticals, ministry of external affairs etc. from time to time and monitored export of various medical supplies related to Covid-19. Special exemptions from prohibition were granted for supplies of these medical items to these countries as part of India’s assistance to fight Covid-19.
The DGFT also facilitated exports of items such as PPE coveralls, 2/3 ply masks, N-95 masks, diagnostic kits, nitrile gloves, medical goggles etc. by gradually relaxing the export policies of these items and issuing export licenses for restricted items based on pre-defined criteria and procedure.
The gradual opening up of exports of these items ensured market opportunities for our exporters and at the same time ensured no domestic shortage. Further, export of remdesivir, amphotericin-B, syringes, Covid-19 antigen kits was also restricted during the Covid-19 crisis in 2021.
As the situation improved, export of diagnostic kits and Meltblown fabric has now been made free. The DGFT is regularly issuing export authorizations regarding export of remdesivir injections and APIs, amphotericin – B injections and syringes with or without needles, added the Ministry.
