Steps Soon To Deal With Virus Impact

Nirmala meets industry leaders

Disruption in supply of raw materials from China due to the coronavirus outbreak could have a serious impact on several Indian industries, especially the pharma sector, industry leaders told Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at a consultation on the issue on Tuesday.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Ms. Sitharaman downplayed fears of any rise in prices of medicines or other products, saying there were no reports of immediate shortages.

Official sources present at the meeting said most sectors had three to four weeks of raw materials available, adding that the longer-term impact is still uncertain.