India calls for clear roadmap from China to ramp up Indian pharmaceutical exports

India has called for a "clear roadmap" from China to meet its long-standing demand to open up Chinese pharmaceuticals market for Indian exports as the drug regulators of both the nations held their first ever meeting on Friday at Shanghai, brain storming on removing the road blocks.

India for long has been pressing China to open its pharmaceutical market which is under pressure from the public for the high prices for cancer and generic drugs, for Indian pharma exports to address the yawning trade deficit which last year according to Chinese figures, crossed USD 57 billion.

Besides pharmaceuticals, India has been asking China to open up its IT market as well to ensure steady increase of Indian exports.

Officials of India and China have been working to address India's concerns since last year's informal Wuhan summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Following the meeting, China has begun import of rice, sugar and soybean but there was no breakthrough