However, ensuring affordable healthcare in the country is a different matter altogether and is not linked to FDI in pharma. A price control mechanism might be a better way to achieve that. Or is it? Big pharma has already recorded its displeasure at the Indian government's attempt to regulate innovator drug prices. A committee set up to study the drug pricing mechanism has announced that it will put its recommendations in the public domain in a month or so.

With an agenda to implement a $5.4 billion free generics medicines plan the government is focusing on improving healthcare in the country. It is unlikely to stop with the current regulation of the prices of 348 essential medicines. There is more debate in the works and in the eye of the storm is - big pharma.