The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) along with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is organizing ‘Namaskar Africa’ – an Indian business expedition to Africa from January 14 to 16, 2010 at Lagos, Nigeria. The focus sectors of the initiative include 'healthcare & pharmaceuticals'.

Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA), the apex body representing domestic pharma companies, is up in arms against the government’proposed action plan to boost drug exports. The department of pharmaceuticals (DoP) has proposed funding by venture capitalists (VCs), service tax exemptions, import duty waiver on pharmaceutical products and protection to clinical test data to boost exports.

The Pharmaceutical Exports Promotion Council (Pharmexcil) will soon appoint an expert advisory cell under its aegis to support the pharma small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) entering into new overseas markets.

The pharmaceutical logistics business is poised to grow at a faster pace in the near future with the growth of generic market opportunities the Indian companies expected to leverage in the regulated western markets, say supply chain experts.