Navi Mumbai Airport cleared for drug imports

The Union health ministry has recently inaugurated Navi Mumbai Airport in Maharashtra as a port for the import of drugs under the Drugs Rules, 1945, in a move aimed at strengthening the pharmaceutical supply chain and facilitating ease of trade, an official statement said on Wednesday.

The amendment to Rule 43A of the Drugs Rules, 1945, now includes Navi Mumbai in the list of airports through which drugs may be imported into the country, according to the statement issued by the ministry.

The gazette notification was issued after consultation with the Drugs Technical Advisory Board under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, officials said. With the latest addition, the total number of notified ports of entry — across air, sea, road and rail — for the import of drugs has increased to 42, it said.

The amendment is expected to facilitate smoother movement of pharmaceutical consignments, strengthen logistics infrastructure, and provide greater flexibility to importers by adding a new alternative for the import of medicines into India, the statement said.

The initiative is in line with the Government’s continued efforts to strengthen the regulatory framework, improve trade facilitation, and promote Ease of Doing Business while ensuring effective regulatory oversight of imported drugs, it added.