India Hosts 22 Nations to Advance Global Drug Standards and Access to Medicines

On June 16, 2025, the Second Policymakers' Forum was inaugurated in New Delhi at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan. The event, organized by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, aims to promote the Indian Pharmacopoeia and strengthen international collaboration on drug standards.

The forum brought together senior officials from 22 nations, including Liberia, Kenya, Chile, and Cuba, along with representatives from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA). Discussions focused on regulatory harmonisation and improving access to affordable medicines under India's Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) initiative.

Anupriya Patel, Minister of State for Health, highlighted India’s leadership in affordable healthcare and its commitment to global health equity under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision. Delegates also participated in technical sessions on India's regulatory landscape, including presentations by Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drug Controller General of India, and Dr Ranga Chandrasekhar, Joint Drugs Controller.

The four-day event includes site visits to IPC labs in Ghaziabad, Janaushadhi Kendra in Agra, and pharmaceutical facilities in Ahmedabad. The initiative builds on the success of the 2024 forum, which led to several countries formally recognising the Indian Pharmacopoeia as a standard for drug quality.

This forum reinforces India’s role as a trusted partner in global public health and underscores the importance of collaboration to ensure 'Health for All.'