The United States has placed India among 20 jurisdictions that will receive a zero tariff rate on specified specialty medicines and pharmaceutical ingredients. The move offers targeted relief to Indian drug exporters.

The relief is not a blanket exemption for the pharmaceutical industry. It covers particular categories including orphan drugs, nuclear medicines, plasma-derived therapies, fertility treatments, cell and gene therapies, antibody-drug conjugates and animal health products.

Generic medicines remain outside the scope of the Section 232 tariffs. That distinction matters because generics form the bulk of India’s drug exports to America.

The tariff on patented products is set at 100 percent from September 29. The zero rate for the specified specialty products was published in the US Federal Register on September 23.

Indian pharma shares reacted positively, with the Nifty Pharma index rising about 0.6 percent. Dr Reddy’s Laboratories traded at Rs 1,247.70. The industry will watch how the tariff rules are applied in practice.