'Pulp Fiction? Not Quite': How Indian Oranges Are Powering A French Medicine To Treat Varicose Veins
According to IQVIA data, Daflon's 500mg and 1000mg stand at a value of Rs 61 crore as per moving annual turnover, May 2025, ranking 2nd in the varicose therapy market. The average number of patients treated in a month is 1.2 lakhs.
The citrus supply chain
The Indian-sourced oranges are first processed locally—cleaned, dried, and converted into powder form. This citrus powder is then exported to Servier's manufacturing headquarters in France, where it undergoes sophisticated processing to extract the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
Interestingly, those APIs are then re-imported back to India, where the final formulation of Daflon is completed for domestic distribution.
This circular, transcontinental journey of a single orange—from a farm in Nagpur to a lab in northern France and back to a pharmacy shelf in Delhi—highlights the globalisation of pharmaceutical supply chains and India's growing importance as a trusted sourcing and manufacturing hub.
The move wasn't just about logistics or cost-efficiency. According to Breton, Indian oranges matched the quality standards required for flavonoid extraction. 'We achieved 100% reliance on local Indian oranges through our Indian supply chain with effect from the financial year 2021."
Indian oranges matched the former Spanish and Mexican counterparts. '2000 metric tons of small oranges were procured in the financial year 2023-24. We work with aggregators and farmers in multiple states in India," said Breton.
Company set to bring precision cancer medicine
Servier Pharma is set to bring precision cancer treatments to India. 'Unlike traditional chemotherapy, these therapies act on specific genetic mutations that are responsible for causing the cancer," Breton said.
Out of three novel drugs coming into the Indian market, the first drug, Ivosidenib, targets a mutated protein known as isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1), which is found in a subset of patients with cholangiocarcinoma (a type of biliary tract cancer) and acute myeloid leukemia (a form of blood cancer).
'Epidemiological data show a high prevalence of biliary tract cancers along the Ganga River basin, supporting the need for this targeted option, which can significantly delay disease progression. In clinical trials, Ivosidenib has demonstrated more than a threefold improvement in survival for AML (blood cancer) patients."
The drug was officially launched in India in June 2025.
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The Wire
25 minutes ago
- The Wire
India Poised to Become Global Air Cargo Hub – ACFI & ASCELA Insights Chart Roadmap for 2030 in its Knowledge Paper
ACFI signs MoU with TIACA and will be signing MoU's with Government Of Madhya Pradesh and Tripura New Delhi, Delhi, India (NewsVoir) Air Cargo Forum India (ACFI) and ASCELA Insights today released the knowledge paper titled 'India's Air Cargo Horizon – Seizing Global Reroutes, Regional Dominance and Resilience', which unveils a transformative vision to position India as a global air cargo hub. The knowledge paper was released today at the 4th ACFI Annual Conclave in New Delhi. With India's air cargo volumes projected to triple to 10 million metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) by 2030, the paper highlights the sector's rapid evolution, driven by the e-commerce boom, policy momentum, greenfield infrastructure and rising demand for high-value cargo, such as pharmaceuticals and perishables. 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With bold policy reforms and strategic investments, we can build a resilient, digitised, and world-class logistics ecosystem.' Shri. Piyush Srivastava, Sr. Economic Advisor, Ministry Of Civil Aviation said, "Air infrastructure today faces key global dichotomies—demand is rapidly growing in the Eastern Hemisphere, while critical services like manufacturing and MRO remain concentrated in the West. This imbalance is bound to shift. As demand grows, supply will follow. It's not just about 'Made in India'; it's about 'Make in India'—a strategic priority for us moving forward.' He further added, "The Aviation sector is highly sensitive to global geopolitical shifts. While events like the Red Sea crisis have offered temporary advantages for the Indian air cargo system. But prolonged airspace closures over Pakistan and over three years of the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, have significantly disrupted operations and increased costs. These challenges are not only unpredictable but inevitable. The only sustainable path forward lies in embracing technology, innovation, and disruption.' Speaking at the launch, Dheeraj Rastogi, Principal Commissioner Customs, Delhi, 'India's customs operations have undergone a significant transformation—from early digitization efforts to the integration of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and risk-based segmentation,' stated Mr. Dheeraj Rastogi. These innovations have contributed to a substantial reduction in transaction costs and improved the overall efficiency of cargo processing.' He further added, 'Currently, 52% of air cargo is cleared on the same day, with average clearance time at Delhi Air Cargo reduced from 41 hours to 35 hours. The department remains committed to maintaining a fine balance between revenue mobilization, national security, trade facilitation, and legal compliance. Given the increasing complexities introduced by e-commerce, a collaborative, data-driven approach between industry stakeholders and regulatory authorities is imperative. Our collective goal must be to build a seamless, AI-enabled ecosystem that supports India's emergence as a global leader in air cargo logistics.' According to Mr. Glyn Hughes, Director General, TIACA, 'With TIACA representing the entire air cargo supply chain and ACFI representing the Indian air cargo industry, it is crucial we work together so that the world can receive Indian exports efficiently and bring the best practices achieved in other countries. Globally, every year, goods worth US$9 trillion are transported through air cargo, accounting for one-third of global trade. India is at the heart of the growing global trade, and we will work toward making air cargo an integral part of it. TIACA, with its global memberships, would be able to act as a support to the Indian air cargo industry in the fields of digitalisation, enhanced usage of modern technology, including AI and adoption of other global standards.' Together with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, ACFI is shaping a forward-looking roadmap to meet the growing demands of domestic and international logistics. These partnerships reflect ACFI's unwavering commitment to building a resilient, efficient and globally competitive air cargo ecosystem that supports India's economic aspirations. 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Here are the key highlights of the Knowledge Report Key Highlights of the Knowledge Report India's Air Cargo Horizon: Seizing Global Reroutes, Regional Dominance and Resilience Indian Air Cargo Industry • Target: 10 MTPA by 2030 (from 3.71 MTPA in FY-2025) • Growth Drivers: • E-commerce boom • Greenfield airports (e.g., Jewar, Navi Mumbai) • Digitised customs, Unified Logistics Interface Platform integration • High-value cargo (pharma, perishables, electronics) Infrastructure & Operational Bottlenecks • 82% of cargo is handled by just 6 airports (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata) • Secondary airports are underutilised due to poor infrastructure and limited airline networks • High dwell times: 12 hours (exports), 48 hours (imports) • Lack of dedicated transhipment zones and automation Privatisation & Policy Reforms • Rs. 6–7 lakh crore investment needed for Sustainable Aviation Fuel and infrastructure • Key initiatives: • Krishi UDAN 2.0 (50% freight subsidy for agri-perishables) • 100% FDI allowed in air cargo • SUGAM (Sustainable Green Airports Mission) • Dedicated air freight corridors and cargo subsidiaries (e.g., Air India) Regulatory & Governance Gaps • Cargo rescreening and high clearance times increase costs • Fragmented digital systems and inconsistent state regulations • Only ~10% transhipment share at Delhi vs. ~40% at global hubs • Limited SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) production and adoption Building Rerouting Resilience • India lacks integrator hubs like Singapore (DHL South Asia) or Frankfurt (CargoCity South) • Best practices from global hubs: • Zoned infrastructure • 24/7 customs with fast lanes • Real-time digital coordination (ACCS, CCS) • Modular warehousing and predictive slot allocation Strategic Roadmap to 10 MTPA • Single-window digital clearance platform • Transshipment hubs with zero rechecks • Multimodal integration with Gati Shakti corridors • Plug-and-play cargo terminals and standalone cargo airports • IoT enabled cargo visibility and National Cargo Command Centres • Friegth acquisition incentives • National air cargo training alliance Accelerating ESG in Air Cargo • SAF blending targets: 1% by 2027 → 5% by 2030 • ESG Challenges: • High SAF cost (2.5x jet fuel) • Fragmented cold-chain • Low female workforce participation (<10%) • Limited automation and skilled talent • ESG Drivers: • Green airport infrastructure (solar, EVs, LEED) • CORSIA-linked emissions reporting • DE&I initiatives (e.g., IATA's '25 by 2025') Emerging Cargo Hubs • Navi Mumbai – Focus: Pharma, Perishables, Jewellery Potential: Multimodal Transhipment Hub • Jewa (Noida) – Focus: Electronics, Apparel Potential: Cold chain, IGI integration • Hyderabad - Focus: Pharma, Aerospace Potential: Dedicated Pharma infra Chennai - Focus: Leather, FMCG Potential: Cold chain, E-commerce • Guwahati - Focus: Tea, Perishables Potential: Gateway to North East (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Newsvoir and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). 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