The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has proposed an amendment to Rule 43A of the Drugs Rules, 1945, aiming to expand the network of authorised entry points for importing drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics into India. The proposal includes adding several Inland Container Depots (ICDs), a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and an international airport to the existing list of authorized locations.
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has proposed an amendment to Rule 43A of the Drugs Rules, 1945, with the intention to expand the network of authorised entry points for importing drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics into India. This move aims to facilitate smoother import operations, improve logistics efficiency, and strengthen the supply chain for healthcare products.
The proposed amendment includes the addition of several Inland Container Depots (ICDs) in different states and a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), as well as an international airport. The specific locations are ICD Sonipat, Piyala, and Harsaru in Haryana; ICD Dadri in Uttar Pradesh; ICD Gandhidham/Mundra in Gujarat; ICD Sanath Nagar and Thimmapur in Hyderabad, Telangana; ICD Whitefield in Bengaluru, Karnataka; SEZ Bommasandra in Karnataka; and Noida International Airport in Uttar Pradesh for the import of drugs by air.
These locations will be added to the existing network of authorised import gateways, which includes ICDs at Dhannad and Tihi in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, along with the airports already notified for the import of drugs. The proposed expansion is expected to facilitate importers in clearing consignments closer to their manufacturing facilities, warehouses, and distribution centers.
The Ministry's objective behind this proposal is to reduce inland transportation distances, optimize logistics costs, minimize delays in the movement of imported consignments, and improve operational convenience for importers. The measure is also expected to facilitate more efficient movement of medicines, medical devices, and cosmetics across different regions of the country.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
