Relief to pharma industry as India relaxes rules for imports

The government Wednesday relaxed import norms for about 34 chemicals used in the pharmaceuticals industry, a move which would ease inbound shipments of these items.

The import policy of 34 items "has been revised from restricted to free subject to no objection certificate from Narcotics Commissioner, Gwalior, before the import of the item", the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) said in a notification.

The chemicals include cocaine, norephedrine, cathine and its salts, ephedrine hydrochloride and concentrates of poppy straw, nicotinic acid and aminorex.

(With inputs from agencies.)