Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri J. P. Nadda, released the book ‘Indian Pharmacopoeia 2026’ (IP 2026) at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi on 02 January 2026.
» Indian Pharmacopoeia 2026 (IP 2026) is the 10th edition of India’s Official Book of Drug Standards.
- This marks a significant milestone in India’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the quality, safety, and efficacy of medicines.
Releasing the 10th edition of Indian Pharmacopoeia - IP 2026, Mr Nadda made a few points:
» 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.
- The 10th edition reflects scientific advancements, global best practices, and India’s growing leadership in pharmaceutical manufacturing and regulation.
- 121 new monographs were included in the Indian Pharmacopoeia 2026, taking the total number of monographs to 3,340.
- Coverage has been significantly strengthened across key therapeutic categories, including anti-tubercular, anti-diabetic and anti-cancer drugs, as well as iron supplements, ensuring greater standardization of medicines used under various National Health Programmes.
- The Indian Pharmacopoeia is now recognised in 19 countries of the Global South.
» The Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI) has made significant progress under the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC).
- India, which ranked 123rd globally in terms of contribution to the World Health Organization’s pharmacovigilance database during 2009-2014, has now risen to 8th position worldwide in 2025.
» Highlighting significant regulatory advancements, the Minister also underscored the first-time inclusion of 20 blood component monographs pertaining to transfusion medicine in the Indian Pharmacopoeia 2026, in accordance with the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics (Second Amendment) Rules, 2020.
About Indian Pharmacopoeia:
» The Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) is published by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) on behalf of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India to fulfil the requirements of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940.
- IP prescribes the official standards for drugs produced and/or marketed in India and thus contributes in the control and assurance of the quality of the medicines.
- The standards of the IP are authoritative and legally enforceable. It intends to help in the licensing of manufacturing, inspection and distribution of medicines in our country.
- Indian Pharmacopoeia, as a member of the Pharmacopoeial Discussion Group (PDG), is actively collaborating with the European, Japanese, and United States Pharmacopoeias for the harmonisation of monographs and general chapters.
- The general requirements of the Indian Pharmacopoeia have been aligned with the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) standards, reinforcing India’s commitment to internationally benchmarked pharmaceutical quality norms.