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Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya has said manufacturing of 35 active pharmaceutical ingredients, which have been imported earlier, has started in India under the production linked scheme (PLI) for the pharmaceuticals sector.  These 35 active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are among the 53 APIs, for which India has 90 per cent import dependence.

He stated the 35 APIs are being manufactured from 32 different manufacturing plants. This will give a boost to AatmaNirbhar Bharat. This would lead to reduction in import dependence of the key raw materials used for producing medicines.

Further, he said there has been a good response from the pharma industry to the PLI scheme and manufacturing of the other APIs is also expected to start in India in due course of time. Last year, the government had announced the Rs 15,000 crore PLI scheme for the pharmaceutical sector and 55 companies, including Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Aurobindo Pharma, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Lupin, Mylan Laboratories, Cipla and Cadila Healthcare, had qualified for incentives under the scheme.

The incentives are to be paid for a maximum period of six years to each qualified company depending upon the threshold investments and sales criteria achieved by the applicant. The products covered under the scheme include formulations, biopharmaceuticals, active pharmaceutical ingredients, key starting material, drug intermediates, and in-vitro diagnostic medical devices, among others.