The Union Health Ministry is overhauling India's pharmaceutical supply chain. Under a proposed amendment to Rule 43A of the Drugs Rules, 1945, the government plans to open 10 inland container depots, an export zone, and Noida International Airport to clear imported drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics. The shift targets one of the most stubborn friction points in domestic healthcare logistics: moving critical medical cargo from ports to patients.
Freight delays cost time that patients often do not have. Under the existing framework, importers regularly haul bulk medical cargo hundreds of kilometers overland from congested primary coastal ports to interior production hubs. The new plan lets overseas consignments clear customs right beside regional manufacturing plants and distribution warehouses—slashing inland transit distances, cutting logistics overheads, and speeding up domestic availability of essential formulations.
Six states will house the expanded network. In northern India, the Ministry has designated ICD Dadri alongside Noida International Airport in Uttar Pradesh for air consignments. In Haryana, facilities at Sonipat, Piyala, and Harsaru will handle container traffic. In Gujarat, ICD Gandhidham/Mundra joins the network to serve western pharmaceutical belts.
The southern corridor secures direct access through ICD Whitefield and the Bommasandra Special Economic Zone in Bengaluru, alongside ICD Sanath Nagar and Thimmapur in Hyderabad. These facilities join established inland clearing depots at Dhannad and Tihi in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Rule 43A formally lists every port, airport, railhead, and land border authorized to process overseas pharmaceuticals. Adding regional hubs allows medtech developers and drug formulators to clear advanced diagnostic equipment and active ingredients without routing through distant coastal bottlenecks.
The move follows earlier regulatory changes made in January 2026, when the Ministry amended the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019, introducing a streamlined notification framework for domestic test licences to accelerate local drug testing.
Regulators have invited public review before issuing the final notification. Importers, clinical researchers, and industry groups have a formal consultation window to file observations with the Under Secretary for Drugs Regulation at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, or by email at drugsdiv-mohfw@gov.in. The Ministry will review all submitted feedback before gazetting the new import points.