The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) crisis has put the whole world on notice. It has highlighted the need for efficient responses to urgently required goods and services. Perhaps never before has there been as much urgency in ensuring the supply of equipment crucial for frontline workers, essential services providers, and the population at large, in such a short time. With the massive demand for personal protection equipment (PPE), surgical and N95 masks, ventilators and testing kits, it has been necessary to look for solutions domestically. And Indian entrepreneurs have stepped up to the plate, and fulfilled the demands through innovation, repurposing, and bolstering the production of essential goods.
This is why, going by the response from Indian companies to the pandemic, there is clear evidence that Make in India can be a driving force. Building on the catalysing effect of this concept, the next step is to provide a dependable regulatory framework, and incentivise similar synergies to allow Make in India across sectors become the new normal.
As evident from the successes in the health sector, Indian companies and entrepreneurs can recalibrate, repurpose and become world beaters.
The manner in which vitally important supplies to combat Covid-19 was made available is a testament to the potential of Make in India. India required 75,000 ventilators, of which just under 61,000 needed to be ordered. Nine domestic manufacturers were chosen to supply almost 60,000 of those, with just one importer being selected for the remaining 1,000. Of the domestic suppliers, Sanray Technologies and Bharat Electronics were chosen for 30,000 ventilators, while AMTZ and AgVa each for the supply of 13,500 and 10,000 respectively. A similar situation is being witnessed in PPEs, where for a total requirement of over 20 million PPEs, 35 domestic manufacturers have stepped up to fulfil the demand, supplying 13 million PPEs. The domestic manufacturing of PPEs has grown exponentially. For masks, of the 27.2 million required, three domestic manufacturers are providing 12.8 million. The production of domestically manufactured testing kits, both reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and rapid antibody testing, has been ramped up. This capability will enhance India’s daily testing capability. Overall, these are huge opportunities for Indian companies to prove their mettle.
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Indian companies are also at the frontline of developing a vaccine for Covid-19. Between six to eight Indian companies have reached the development phase. Zydus Cadila is said to be working on two vaccines, while Serum Institute, Biological E, Bharat Biotech, Indian Immunologicals, and Mynvax are also in the process of developing a vaccine. Biocon, a leading Indian biopharmaceutical company, is developing two new generation repurposed drugs for treatment and an antibody diagnostic kit. It is also working on a vaccine project with Seagull Biosolutions.
Source: Hindustan Times
