Overview

• Pakistan halted all trade with India in retaliation for New Delhi's suspension of the Indus Water Treaty following the Pahalgam attack.
• The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has implemented contingency plans to address the disruption, including sourcing from China, Russia, and Europe.
• Pakistani health authorities rely on India for 30–40% of pharmaceutical raw materials, including APIs and life-saving medicines such as anti-rabies vaccines and cancer therapies.
• The Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) has urged the government to exempt pharmaceutical imports from the trade ban to avoid critical shortages.
• Experts warn of significant public health risks if alternative supply chains are not secured swiftly, with further complications posed by a thriving black market for smuggled medicines.