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India supplies about a fifth of the world's supply of generic drugs. It is the largest manufacturer of HCQ hydroxychloroquine, which is used to treat malaria in India. It is also a drug repurposed to tackle coronavirus and seen as effective in some lab studies including one in France. Several large sample studies are being made of the drug including a study at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit with the support of the U.S. government.

Initially India banned export of the drug, but after president Trump called prime minister Modi the Indian authorites opened up shipments to the U.S. and other countries. How much HCQ can India supply? India's pharma industry officials are cited in this report in DW.com saying production estimated at 200 million 200mg HCQ tablets a month in Indian factories. And suppliers ready to ramp up production. About 70% of world production of HCQ is in India. 

U.S. government has placed large orders and has built up its stockpile of about 29 million doses of HCQ with more ordered and in the pipeline, according to White House briefings. About 30 other countries have reached out to get supplies from India, including Indonesia, Brazil, Australia and Germany.