India's Health Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, has emphasized the need for higher standards among the country's small and medium-sized pharmaceutical companies (MSMEs) to enhance product quality. This comes after Indian-made cough syrups were linked to child deaths in Gambia and Uzbekistan, negatively impacting India's reputation as the "pharmacy of the world." The Indian health authorities have denied a link between the deaths and Indian-made cough syrups, and companies manufacturing these products have also denied wrongdoing. Mandaviya announced that 'Schedule M' of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, which outlines good manufacturing practices, will be made compulsory for MSMEs in a phased manner to ensure quality assurance and reduce compliance burdens. India has increased scrutiny of cough syrup exports, making it mandatory for companies to obtain a certificate of analysis.