March 10, 2026
Sukhendu Sekhar Ray’s Supplementary Questions on the reasons for the Union government’s overdependence on China for APIs and whether this points towards a scarcity
Sir, it appears from the reply of the hon. Minister that India’s import of active pharmaceutical ingredients from China is the highest during the past three years in comparison to other top 24 or 25 countries and the difference of import between China and other import countries is no match at all. Sir, more than Rs. 29,000 crores of APIs have been imported from China in the last financial year and from the second highest country, it is Rs. 1000 crore only. So, this is the mismatch between imports from other countries and China. Sir, my question is this. What is the reason for such an alarming rise in import of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients from China when compared to other top 24 import countries, including Italy, USA, Japan, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Singapore etc? Sir, after three-and-a-half years, my question has come today as Starred Question. So, I expected that reply to my question would be specific. But, the hon. Minister has opened a big canvas in which my question was not related to. Anyway, before I go to my second supplementary, one line preface that this Government talks about is cooperative federalism. Hence, the Government should look into the fact as to what protection of Fundamental Rights of millions of people is there; the only lady CM of West Bengal is on the streets for protection of the rights of the millions of Indians. The Central Government must send a team of representatives to find out why it has happened, why the hon. Chief Minister is on the streets, making a dharna for the past five days. I request, Sir, through you, to the Government, that this fact should be found out. That is our question. Sir, my second supplementary question is… I am not giving lecture, Sir. Rather, everyday, I am listening to lectures. Anyway, my pointed question is this. Why is there so much dependency on China? Is there any scarcity of API in other ‘import countries?’ You have mentioned about ‘25 import countries’; and I have already mentioned what the mismatch is. About 30,000 crores of rupees have been spent for import from China whereas the ‘second India category’ is only Rs. 1,000 crore. What is this? Why is this bonhomie with China, Sir, I don’t understand!
