The Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) informed News18 that Indian pharmaceutical companies are currently hesitant to export goods to Bangladesh due to outstanding debts.
India’s pharmaceutical exports and medical tourism have been hampered by the political instability in Bangladesh that started last month when students demanded that former prime minister Sheikh Hasina quit and then leave the country, according to News18.
The article claims that pharmaceutical companies have been dealing with a wide range of problems, including missed shipments and restricted payments. Due to the current situation in the neighboring country, patients from the afflicted region have had to unexpectedly cancel their vacation plans or are unable to continue with their plans, which has negatively impacted Indian medical tourism.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) informed News18 that Indian pharmaceutical companies are currently hesitant to export goods to Bangladesh due to outstanding debts.
“Due to the political unrest in Bangladesh, the Indian Pharmaceutical industry — which is into export of drugs and intermediates — has been facing significant challenges, including unpaid dues, concerns about the financial stability and logistics issues,” Raja Bhanu, Director General of Pharmexcil,
Bhanu added that because shipments are being held up at the border, Bangladesh’s proximity and shared border have only made matters worse. He did, however, note that the situation had gradually improved, however somewhat.
“We could anticipate better political and economic conditions in Bangladesh. But it’s too soon to say with certainty how it will impact our industry,” Bhanu stated.
Significantly, thirty percent of Bangladesh’s imports of pharmaceutical ingredients—which include both large and small pharmaceutical companies—come from India. Government data shows that in FY 2024–2025, exports to Bangladesh decreased.
Under secrecy, a pharma manufacturer in Mumbai stated that it is not currently accepting new export orders to Bangladesh. “Although the situation with regard to the flow of shipments has improved, we are still unable to identify lost shipments worth several lakhs that vanished during the fighting,” the statement read. We won’t be accepting any new export orders for Bangladesh until things settle down.
Medical tourism to India has been badly impacted by the unrest in Bangladesh, according to Rajeev Taneja, CEO of Global Care, which helps non-resident Indians seeking medical care in India. As a result, many patients have had to postpone or cancel appointments.
“This is a heartbreaking scenario since it directly affects people and families who depend on India’s healthcare system for life-saving treatment. According to him, the drop in patient visits—which can reach 50% in certain situations—has an impact on hospital profits in addition to bringing attention to the rising unpredictability faced by those in need.
In agreement, Ishaan Dodhiwala, co-founder of MediJourn, a medical travel company, stated that “the unrest in Bangladesh has undeniably impacted the flow of patients seeking treatment in India, presenting some challenges for healthcare providers and related services.”
He did say, “We expect the patient flow to improve in the coming weeks as the Indian visa application centre in Bangladesh has started giving out appointments and we are hopeful that the situation will normalise soon, allowing patients to resume their treatment plans without further delays.”
