US imports nearly 40 pc of generics from India because 'we trust India': Ambassador Sergio Gor
New Delhi, May 29
The United States imports nearly 40 per cent of its generic medicines from India because of the trust it has in the country's pharmaceutical capabilities, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said on Friday.
Speaking at the Advancing Partnership in Research and Innovation event at Indian Institute of Technology here, Gor said India-US ties have expanded significantly across sectors including trade, defence, technology, health and space cooperation.
"On pharmaceuticals, we import close to 40 per cent of our generics from India. There is a reason the United States does that: it is because we trust India. These are critical life-saving ingredients that are needed in the United States," Gor said.
The US Ambassador described the India-US relationship as one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century and said bilateral trade between the two countries has increased sharply over the past two decades.
"In just over two decades, bilateral trade has grown from 20 billion dollars to over 220 billion dollars in goods and services. That's not just volume; it reflects deeper, broader engagement and stronger economic integration," he said.
Gor also expressed optimism about the proposed interim trade agreement between India and the United States, saying negotiations were in their final stages.
"Our current interim trade agreement is on the table for us to finalise that will unlock prosperity for both of our countries. We fully expect that the trade deal will be signed over the next few weeks and months," he said.
Highlighting growing American investments in India, Gor said major US technology companies are significantly expanding their presence in the country.
According to him, Amazon plans to invest 35 billion dollars in India by 2030 to support AI-driven digitisation, exports and job creation.
He added that Microsoft has announced an investment of 17.5 billion dollars in India, including the expansion of hyperscale cloud infrastructure, while Google recently began work on a subsea cable landing terminal project valued at around 15 billion dollars.
"These are incredible things that we have seen just from a handful of companies," Gor said, adding that many investors visiting the US Embassy regularly ask whether India is a safe destination for investment and partnership. "Our answer to them is yes," he said.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is fantastic news! But let's not forget that our domestic pharmaceutical industry needs to focus on making medicines more accessible for our own citizens too. We export 40% to US but many Indians still struggle with high drug prices at home.
As an American, I'm glad we trust India for generics - they've saved our healthcare system billions. But I'm curious, how does India maintain such high quality while keeping costs low? My Indian colleagues say it's because of skilled chemists and efficient manufacturing.
The $35 billion Amazon investment and $17.5 billion from Microsoft - wow! India is becoming a global tech hub. But we need to ensure these investments create jobs for our youth and don't just exploit cheap labor. Infrastructure and skill development must keep pace.
Trade growing from $20 billion to $220 billion in two decades is remarkable! India and US truly are shaping the 21st century together. I hope the interim trade deal benefits small businesses in both countries, not just the big corporations.
"We trust India" - these words from the US Ambassador mean a lot. Our pharma sector has worked hard to build this reputation. But we must remain vigilant about quality control - one major scandal can destroy years of trust. Our regulatory bodies need to be world-class.
M Michael C