Amid ongoing trade restrictions with India, Pakistan has initiated efforts to identify alternative sources for importing raw materials crucial for its pharmaceutical industry, including vaccines.
Officials have confirmed that the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce, is formulating a new strategy aimed at reducing the country’s reliance on Indian imports.
Currently, approximately 30% of Pakistan’s raw materials for medicines, including key vaccines such as anti-rabies, MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), and certain cancer drugs, are sourced from India. However, the search for new suppliers has intensified in light of the strained trade relations between the two nations.
Authorities are now exploring options to import raw materials and vaccines from countries including China, South Korea, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, and various European nations. Sources have revealed that Pakistan already relies on China for about 40% of its pharmaceutical raw material needs, and this partnership is anticipated to strengthen further.
Prior to the escalation of bilateral tensions in 2019, nearly 60% of Pakistan’s pharmaceutical raw materials were imported from India. That figure has since been halved, and officials are confident that Pakistan can eventually eliminate its dependence on Indian supplies entirely by securing reliable alternative markets.
The Ministry of Health has indicated that once contacts with new countries are formalized, the registration process for imported raw materials will commence promptly to ensure seamless supply chains and prevent any disruption in the availability of essential medicines
