Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda, on Friday, released the Indian Pharmacopoeia 2026 (IP 2026) – the tenth edition of India’s official book of drug standards, marking a significant milestone in India’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the quality, safety, and efficacy of medicines.
Releasing the new edition, Nadda highlighted that the Indian Pharmacopoeia serves as the official book of standards for drugs in the country and is a cornerstone of India’s regulatory framework for pharmaceuticals. He stated that the 10th edition reflects scientific advancements, global best practices, and India’s growing leadership in pharmaceutical manufacturing and regulation.
He also highlighted that the Indian Pharmacopoeia 2026 incorporated 121 new monographs, increasing the total number of monographs to 3,340. He further noted that coverage has been significantly strengthened across key therapeutic categories, including anti-tubercular, anti-diabetic, and anti-cancer medicines, as well as iron supplements, thereby ensuring more comprehensive standardisation of medicines used under various National Health Programmes.
Referring to pharmacovigilance, the Health Minister said, ‘In recent years, the Indian Pharmacopoeia standards have also gained international acceptance as it has become a focused agenda under the health diplomacy of the Government of India. He also noted that the Indian Pharmacopoeia is now recognised in 19 countries of the global south.
Nadda also highlighted the remarkable progress of the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI) under the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC). He noted that India, which was ranked 123rd globally in terms of contributions to the World Health Organisation’s pharmacovigilance database during 2009–2014, has now risen to 8th position worldwide in 2025. Commending the IPC and the PvPI team for this significant achievement,
Nadda stated that the strengthened pharmacovigilance ecosystem reflects India’s sustained commitment to patient safety, quality assurance, and robust regulatory vigilance.