It is being said that India has agreed to export the drug fearing ‘retaliation’ from the US. Read to know more.
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is an anti-malarial drug which is used both as a preventive as well to treat acute attacks of malaria. It diminishes the immune system’s response over a viral infection. During a viral infection, the body’s white blood cells get into action to fight the virus and virus infected cells. Sometimes, the immune system gets triggered and starts attacking the good cells as well. This hyperactive response by the immune system is said to be the cause for pneumonia. What HCQ does is diminish this immune system’s response to the viral infection.
Research studies conducted in several countries like France showed that HCQ when taken alone or with azithromycin reduced the virus levels. This made drug regulators across the world (including the Drugs Controller General of India) to approve the drug in restricted settings.
The ban and its subsequent lift
On March 25, the Government of India placed put HCQ in the list of restricted items. Subsequently on April 4, it put a blanket ban on the export of HCQ. Usually, when the country is facing shortage or the demand for a commodity is more within the country, the government resorts to banning the export of the commodity and/or importing the same. An example of this was visible when there was a shortage of onions in Indian markets due to poor harvest. We banned the export of onions and also imported it from Egypt and Turkey. Meanwhile, the farmers came out with a good harvest in the next months which brought down the onion prices in the market. Once the demand and supply were stabilized, the ban on onions was lifted. Likewise, the drug manufacturers in India ramped up production to cater to the needs of the country. They say that they now have sufficient stockpiles of HCQ and have enough to export.
Reading between the lines
A moment of crisis is a moment of opportunity. For long, the US has been denying market access to Indian pharma companies. After the call between PM Modi and President Trump, the US Food and Drug Administration decided to lift the ban on Indian pharma products and companies. Now, Indian medicines would be available to American consumers which means more foreign trade and more money in Indian reserves.
This decision of India to export HCQ and paracetamol to not just United States but also to other neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Nepal is more than just a humanitarian gesture. From a strategic point of view, it secures India’s interests in these countries. A global pandemic caused by a Chinese virus and fought by Indian medicines would be an underlying message in strategic and geopolitical discourses.