Need for Policy Reforms in the Aftermath of COVID-19? An Analysis of Indian Pharmaceutical Sector

Abstract

Acknowledging coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a persistent health challenge in the foreseeable future, there is a need to evaluate how India can emerge as a major exporter in this category. This analysis with 41 COVID-19-related pharmaceutical products indicates that India currently lacks comparative advantage in several categories, for example, active pharmaceutical ingredient, medical equipment and devices, disinfectants and sterilisation products, and personal protective equipment. The country, however, enjoys a comparative advantage in manufacturing vaccines and formulations. Interestingly, India imposes higher tariffs and non-tariff measures (NTMs) on both sets of products, irrespective of the comparative advantages. Additionally, the article identifies important operational, logistic, and financial issues that can improve the efficiency of the pharmaceutical supply chain (PSC), which in turn can ensure smoother availability of these pharmaceutical products in the domestic market. While the operational issues underline the need for better coordination between multiple stakeholders, the logistic bottlenecks call for a general improvement at the infrastructure level. The financial issues correspond to infrastructural bottlenecks, transport costs and resulting cost escalation. The article concludes that the policymakers need to focus on the reduction of import barriers and improve the PSC to ensure the easier availability of COVID-19 medicines, vaccines, and related products.

JEL Codes: F13, F15, I18, O25