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Reaction to UK / India free trade deal

Mark Samuels, Chief Executive of Medicines UK, said:

"We welcome the newly signed trade deal with India and see it as the beginning of a dynamic partnership that can deliver long-term prosperity to both nations. The off-patent medicines sector contributes £4 billion annually to the UK economy - a substantial portion of which is powered by Indian trade.

"Nearly a third of our members are headquartered in India, with others relying on Indian manufacturing or contracted supply. Four in five NHS prescriptions are generics, and around one-third originate from India - making stronger bilateral trade ties a strategic imperative.

"We see this agreement as a foundation, and encourage further dialogue - particularly on regulatory alignment. A priority for our sector is the adoption of a 'do it once' approach: where one regulator's high-standard licensing, scientific advice, inspections and batch testing are recognised by others. This would reduce duplication, increase efficiency, and support global patient access.

"We urge the UK and India to establish a clear regulatory pathway, with UK support where helpful, ultimately aiming for mutual recognition. Attracting more Indian manufacturers to launch their products in the UK should be a shared goal - positioning the UK as the preferred European entry point.

"Finally, given the NHS's reliance on India for medicines and APIs, we propose an explicit agreement to safeguard continuity of supply during critical incidents - such as future pandemics. Combined with policies that build domestic manufacturing capacity, this would strengthen resilience across UK supply chains.”