Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

UK-India FTA at risk over drug patent dispute

Rishi Sunak will hold talks with Narendra Modi next month

UK-India FTA at risk over drug patent dispute

THE trade deal between the UK and India is facing uncertainty due to disagreements over the former's request for stricter regulations on the manufacturing of affordable generic medicines, reported The Telegraph.

India's negotiators have opposed the proposal to extend drug patents before allowing the production of less expensive alternatives. This proposal aims to protect the interests of pharmaceutical giants against generic rivals.


Disputes related to drug patents, along with India's push for increased visas for nurses and care workers, have cast a shadow over the prospects of an imminent announcement.

At the heart of the dispute over Indian drug patents is the thriving generic drug sector in India, in contrast to the pharmaceutical excellence of the UK. This contrast has led to the development of globally pioneering medications like Covid vaccines.

According to reports, a comprehensive agreement on a free-trade deal might not be reached before the year's end. Prime minister Rishi Sunak is set to travel to India next month for talks with his counterpart Narendra Modi.

The UK is aiming to persuade India to accept what are known as TRIPS-plus arrangements, which provide longer patent protection for drugs than what is typically covered by the international agreements India has endorsed. This information was leaked from a draft of the free trade agreement.

An official from India's commerce ministry stated that the Indian government staunchly opposes the demand for patent term extensions on drugs. The official claimed that it's unlikely the UK will be able to include this demand in the final agreement.

They emphasised India's commitment to ensuring accessibility to cost-effective medications, adding that terms in the trade agreement should not hinder the effective functioning of generic drug producers in the country.

Over 120 health and human rights groups and experts have written to trade secretary Kemi Badenoch, urging her to withdraw the proposals. They argue that these proposals could jeopardise the supply of generic medicines not only to low and middle-income countries but also globally.

Critics of the UK proposals warn of potential repercussions domestically. Approximately 80 per cent of NHS medicines are generics, with about a third originating from India, accounting for a quarter of unbranded medications.

Despite this, officials at Badenoch's trade department dispute these claims. A spokesperson stated, "Medicines, the NHS, and their costs are not, and have never been, part of any trade negotiation. Our aim is to balance innovation and affordable medicine access – this principle remains unchanged."

Ministers clarified that no special treatment will be provided for Indians under the government's skilled worker immigration system.

Indian industry minister Piyush Goyal on Friday (25) said negotiations between India and the UK for the free trade agreement are progressing and both countries are committed to concluding the talks as early as possible.

“We are working hard, we are all committed to a fair, equitable, and balanced trade agreement, respecting each other’s sensitivities, respecting the different levels of developments that both the countries have and respecting the future potential that each country brings to the table,” Goyal said.

(with inputs from PTI)

More For You

Rochdale grooming case

They were all remanded in custody, except Bashir, who absconded before the trial began. (Photo: Greater Manchester Police)

Seven men convicted of raping 13-year-old girls in Rochdale grooming case

SEVEN men were convicted on Friday in the UK’s latest grooming trial, after a jury heard that two girl victims were forced to have sex “with multiple men on the same day, in filthy flats and on rancid mattresses”.

Jurors at the court in Manchester, northwest England, deliberated for three weeks before finding the seven men, all of whom are of South Asian descent, guilty of rape.

Keep ReadingShow less
karan-thakar

Karun Thakar is a leading textile collector with a lifelong focus on Asian and African textiles

Karun Collection

Karun Thakar Fund to support textile research with scholarships and grants

THE KARUN THAKAR FUND, established by textile collector Karun Thakar in collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), supports the study of Asian and African textiles and dress through scholarships and project grants.

The fund offers one-time Scholarship Awards of up to £10,000 for university students worldwide focusing on any aspect of Asian or African textiles and dress. Undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students from any accredited university are eligible, provided their research or practice is clearly linked to these areas. The next round of Scholarship Award applications opens on 1 May 2025 and closes at 23:59 on July 15, 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less
Asian leaders recognised in King's birthday honours list

Professor Jagtar Singh (Photo: Facebook)

Asian leaders recognised in King's birthday honours list

ASIAN health workers, academics, charity workers and campaigners are among those who have been recognised in the King’s birthday honours list announced tonight (13).

More than a thousand recipients have been awarded for their exceptional achievements, with a particular focus on those who have given their time to public service, according to the Cabinet Office.

Keep ReadingShow less
Air India

A view shows the wreckage of the tail section of an Air India aircraft, bound for London's Gatwick Airport, which crashed during take-off from airport in Ahmedabad. (Photo: Reuters)

Air India crash: Probe focuses on engine and flaps; safety checks ordered for 787 fleet

THE INVESTIGATION into the Air India crash that killed more than 240 people is focusing on the aircraft's engine, flaps, and landing gear.

The Indian aviation regulator has ordered safety checks on the airline’s entire Boeing 787 fleet, reported Reuters.

Keep ReadingShow less