The United States will not impose any tariff on certain speciality drugs and ingredients from India and 19 other countries. The US Commerce Department published the notice on Monday.

The exemption comes a day before Washington starts a 100 per cent tariff on certain patented drugs and ingredients. The duty takes effect on September 29 under a proclamation issued in April under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act.

Zero duty will apply to orphan drugs for rare diseases, nuclear medicines and plasma-derived therapies. Fertility drugs, cell and gene therapies and antibody-drug conjugates are also covered. Animal drugs and medical countermeasures for chemical, biological and nuclear threats qualify too.

The other exempt places include the EU, Japan, South Korea, Britain, Taiwan, Switzerland, Argentina, Vietnam and Thailand.

Generic drugs are not subject to the Section 232 pharma tariffs. The department said the exempt countries have current or upcoming trade and security framework deals with the US.