New Delhi, April 8 -- Back in 2022, a shipment of Indian-made eye drops was linked to a rare bacterial infection in the US. Three people lost their vision. One person died.

The USFDA traced the contamination to a manufacturing plant in Chennai. The facility was shut down. The damage to India's pharmaceutical reputation, however, was harder to contain.

This wasn't an anomaly. It was a pattern. For decades, India has worn the badge of the world's pharmacy with pride, and for good reason. Indian manufacturers supply nearly 20% of global generic medicines by volume.

But affordability built on shaky manufacturing standards is a ticking clock. So it was about time regulators stepped in, and they did so in January 2026.

The Drugs Controller ...