India accounts for 70% of WHO vaccine supply, 14% of US generic imports

India is a key player in the global vaccine landscape, supplying 70% of the World Health Organisation's total vaccine stock, according to Union Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilisers Anupriya Patel during the Second Policymakers' Forum in New Delhi on Monday.

In her keynote address, Patel highlight India’s global leadership in supplying quality-assured, affordable medicines. “During the Covid-19 pandemic, India started the Vaccine Maitri initiative and supplied vaccines to more than 100 friendly countries. This reflects India’s deep sense of responsibility towards global health,” she said.

The forum, organised by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) under the Health Ministry in collaboration with the External Affairs Ministry, brought together drug regulators and health policymakers from 24 countries.

Patel stressed the importance of Jan Aushadhi Kendras -- government-run pharmacies that provide generic medicines at affordable prices in making medicines accessible, calling them “a powerful tool in reducing out-of-pocket health expenses.”

She also shared that India supplies 14% of all generic medicines to the US and has the largest number of



US FDA-approved drug manufacturing plants globally.

Highlighting regulatory strength, Patel announced that 15 countries now recognise the Indian Pharmacopoeia, with Cuba being the latest. “This isn’t just about regulations, it’s about aligning quality standards, improving drug access, and enabling smoother global pharmaceutical trade,” she said.

Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava echoed the sentiment, noting India's health reforms including over 1.75 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and expanded coverage through Ayushman Bharat.

She highlighted how, in 2004, the share of out-of-pocket expenditure in total health expenditure was 70%, which has come down to 40% today.

The Health Secretary further underlined that the increased availability of free drugs and diagnostics has been enabled by the production of generic medicines, noting that the number of free medicines provided at sub-health centres has risen from 36 to 106 over the past decade.

She explained that AMRIT pharmacies help people get branded medicines and medical devices at lower prices, adding that the forum will be a place where both sides can work together, share knowledge, and plan future partnerships.