India posted a staggering $2.22 billion worth of pharmaceutical products imported from China between 2014 and 2015, Nirmala Sitharaman, India's Commerce and Industry Minister, said on Monday in a written response in Parliament.

China also managed to export $1.74 billion worth the bulk drugs or active pharmaceutical ingredients from April to December last year, a notable increase from the $2.11 billion worth of pharma goods exported from 2013 to 2014. 

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The country is importing both raw materials and finished pharmaceutical goods and drugs from China to cater to the local market and exports.

Based on the report, India is heavily relying on imports from China for the production of 12 important drugs like Paracetamol and Amoxicillin.

"There is a significant dependence on imports of drug ingredients and substantial imports of these products are from China," Minister Sitharaman wrote in a reply in the Lok Sabha. "One of these reasons for imports from China is the price competitiveness of these products."

China currently supplies about 80 percent of India's bulk drugs ingredients, and the country is now attempting to cut down this dependence. To do this, the government plans to expand manufacturing facilities across India and to invest to build three bulk drug parks.

The Indian government has also formed a group led by former health secretary VM Katoch to draft and recommend manufacturing laws for bulk drugs.

"After examining the recommendations, the government is now looking into the financial viability of supporting the proposal for providing assistance for common minimum facilities for three greenfield bulk drugs/API parks to the extent of Rs. 200 crore each," Hansraj Ahir, minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers, announced to Parliament on Friday.

The committee also plans to add perks to encourage investors including incentives and tax concessions. There are also talks of establishing storage, testing laboratories, among others.

Tagschina, India, imported goods, pharmaceutical products, parliament, global trade