Self reliance in APIs

• APIs (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients) and their precursors — Key Starting Materials (KSMs) and Drug Intermediates (DIs) — are the chemical core of every formulated medicine; India, despite being the "pharmacy of the world" in formulations, has been heavily import-dependent (mainly from China) for bulk drugs.
• Self-reliance in APIs is a flagship Atmanirbhar Bharat thrust under the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, executed via two pillars: the PLI Scheme for Bulk Drugs and the Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks scheme.
• Relevant for GS-III (economy, industrial policy, pharma sector, supply-chain resilience) and GS-II (health-sector governance, Centre–State relations).