Abstract:
COVID-19 pandemic is not only a global health catastrophe; it is also a hard-hitting economic crisis
for several economies. This period has been a trying time for the manufacturing industries in general,
and highlighted the urgency for India to become self-reliant. Though the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’
rhetoric anticipated growth after a brief pause, the continuing pandemic has affected the “self-reliant”
discourse quickly. The pandemic exposed the fact that India is dependent on imports for essential
medical equipment. The irregularities in supplies not only skyrocketed the domestic prices for certain
medicines but also disturbed foreign trade due to the restrictions on exports. The low availability of
Key Starting Material (KSM) in India has highlighted the weak points of India’s pharmaceutical
sector.
