Common Mistakes International Buyers Make When Sourcing Pharma from India
International buyers approaching Indian pharmaceutical sourcing for the first time — and sometimes experienced buyers in established relationships — make predictable mistakes that create downstream problems. Many of these are avoidable with the right information upfront.
This post covers the most common errors, what they lead to, and how to avoid them.
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Mistake 1: Not Specifying Minimum Shelf Life
What happens: A buyer orders 50,000 boxes of a product with a 24-month total shelf life. The purchase order does not specify a minimum remaining shelf life at dispatch. The shipment arrives with 10 months remaining. The buyer cannot distribute it — products with less than a defined remaining shelf life are often unsaleable or unregisterable. Why it happens: Buyers assume suppliers will ship "fresh" product. Suppliers assume that if it is within expiry, it meets the specification. Neither assumption is stated. How to avoid it: Always include a minimum remaining shelf life clause in your purchase order. Common practice: 70–80% of total shelf life remaining on dispatch, or a specific minimum months figure. State it explicitly, in writing, before order confirmation.---
Mistake 2: Skipping Product Registration Before Ordering
What happens: A buyer imports pharmaceutical products without first checking whether they are registered with the national regulatory authority. The shipment is held at customs, seized, or ordered to be destroyed. The buyer loses the product value, freight cost, and potentially faces regulatory penalties. Why it happens: The buyer assumes that if the product is legal in India, it is importable. This is not the case — import of medicines requires registration in the destination country in most jurisdictions. How to avoid it: Confirm your country's import registration status for every product before placing an order. If registration is pending, plan for the registration timeline (months to years in many countries). Some markets have emergency or provisional import provisions — check with a local regulatory consultant.---
Mistake 3: Not Reviewing the Certificate of Analysis
What happens: A buyer receives a shipment and accepts it without reviewing the CoA. Months later, a downstream customer or QC check finds that a test parameter (assay, dissolution, moisture) was borderline or marginal at the time of manufacture — this was stated on the CoA they had but never read. Why it happens: Buyers who trust the supplier assume the CoA is a formality. Some buyers lack the technical staff to interpret CoA data. How to avoid it: Review every CoA before accepting a shipment. If you lack in-house pharmaceutical QC capability, engage a qualified person (QP or equivalent in your regulatory framework) to review. Key parameters to check: assay (potency), dissolution, moisture (for oral solids), microbial limits (for relevant forms). Results should be comfortably within specification — not just technically passing.---
Mistake 4: Focusing Only on Price, Not on Manufacturer Quality
What happens: A buyer selects the lowest-priced quotation without asking about the manufacturer. The product fails import quality testing (or worse, reaches patients and causes adverse events due to quality deficiency). The supply chain relationship collapses. Why it happens: Price is visible and comparable; manufacturer quality requires more effort to assess. How to avoid it: Ask for the manufacturer's name and current GMP certificate with every quotation. Verify the GMP certificate is current, covers the relevant facility and product type, and is from an authority relevant to your market (WHO-GMP, EU-GMP, etc.). Do not substitute price comparison for quality comparison.---
Mistake 5: Vague or Incomplete Purchase Orders
What happens: A buyer sends a vague PO ("1,000 boxes of paracetamol 500mg tablets") without specifying pharmacopoeia standard, pack size, shelf life, labelling requirements, or documentation. The supplier ships product that meets the description but not the buyer's unstated expectations. Disputes follow. Why it happens: Buyers new to pharmaceutical import procurement apply the same informality they might use for other commodity purchases. How to avoid it: Write pharmaceutical purchase orders to a standard that explicitly states every relevant parameter. See our how-to-specify-a-generic-medicine-order post for the full specification template. A more detailed PO prevents more disputes than any contract clause.---
Bonus: Not Building a Relationship Before You Need Scale
What happens: A buyer who has not established any supplier relationships needs a large, urgent order in a constrained supply environment. They have no priority allocation, no credit terms, and no track record — they pay spot prices and wait. How to avoid it: Begin with smaller orders to establish a relationship and build a track record, even if your ultimate volume requirement is large. Suppliers prioritise known, reliable buyers in allocation-constrained situations.---
Contact Bharat Medex to start a sourcing conversation — we are happy to guide first-time and returning buyers through the process.
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