Government notifies Navi Mumbai Airport as a Port for Import of drugs under Drug Rules
New Delhi, July 8
In a step towards strengthening the pharmaceutical supply chain and facilitating ease of trade, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has enabled the import of drugs through the recently inaugurated Navi Mumbai Airport in Maharashtra.
The amendment to Rule 43A of the Drugs Rules, 1945 now includes Navi Mumbai in the list of airports through which drugs may be imported into the country. The notification has been issued after consultation with the Drugs Technical Advisory Board under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, an official release said.
With this amendment, Navi Mumbai Airport joins the list of designated airports permitted for the import of drugs under the Drugs Rules, 1945.
The Total number of ports of entry(road/rail/ship/air) becomes 42 with the latest addition.
"The amendment is expected to facilitate smoother movement of pharmaceutical consignments, strengthen logistics infrastructure, and provide greater flexibility to importers by adding a new alternative for import of medicines into India," the release said.
It said the initiative is in line with the Government's continued efforts to strengthen the regulatory framework, improve trade facilitation, and promote Ease of Doing Business while ensuring effective regulatory oversight of imported drugs.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Sounds like a practical move for trade facilitation. But I hope the regulatory oversight mentioned is actually enforced properly. India's drug quality control has had some issues in the past.
Finally, something concrete for the pharma sector! Mumbai handles a massive chunk of India's drug exports and imports. This will reduce congestion at other airports and speed up logistics. Smart move by the Ministry of Health.
Ease of doing business is nice, but what about the smuggling risks? Importing drugs through a new port without strict checks could lead to misuse. Hope the DTAB has considered this carefully. 🤔
As someone working in pharma logistics, this is great news! Navi Mumbai airport has good cargo facilities and connectivity to the MIDC areas. Will reduce turnaround time for imports significantly. Well done!
42 ports of entry now for drugs! But I wonder if the Drug Control department has enough manpower to inspect all these ports. Quality should not be compromised for speed. Let's hope they have a robust system in place.
This is a positive development for the Make in India initiative too. With better import infrastructure, Indian pharma companies can get raw materials quicker and keep production running smoothly. Good progress. 🇮🇳