Three weeks back, Two of India’s top drug makers, 'Ipca Laboratories' and 'Zydus Cadila' have received orders to produce anti-malarial drug 'chloroquine' for the American market, amid the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
Following discussions on the matter, the US-FDA, through an e-mail dated 20 March, made an exception by lifting the three-year-old ‘import alert’ on Ipca’s selected products. Zydus to increase capacity from 4 MT to 30 MT by next month.
Intas, McW Healthcare, Macleods, Cipla, Lupin, Abbott India, Unichem, Laurus Labs among makers. Over a hundred Indian companies are making or have the capability to produce finished drugs 'Hydroxychloroquine' which is used for malaria.
However, 'chloroquine' is a potential “game changer” for treating the disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-COV-2. fact remains, Chloroquine is widely available in India, and is manufactured by several local companies including Ipca, Zydus Cadila and Alembic etc.
In view of the humanitarian aspects of COVID19 pandemic, MEA clarified that India would licence paracetamol & Hydroxychloroquine in appropriate quantities to all our neighbouring countries & to some nations who have been particularly badly affected by the pandemic.
