New Delhi  - India lodged a strong protest with China Thursday over made-in-India tags on a consignment of fake anti-malaria drugs intercepted by Nigerian authorities which were believed to have been produced in China.

The Nigerian government's drug regulatory authority had reported the detention of a large consignment of fake anti-malarial generic drugs labelled made-in-India, an Indian Commerce Ministry release said.

"The Indian high commissioner in Nigeria has indicated that the consignment containing Maloxine and Amatar tablets used for the treatment of malaria were valued at
32.1 million naira (about 216,686 dollars) and were produced, packed and shipped from China," the Indian Commerce Ministry release said.

It added that a laboratory analysis by Nigeria's National Food and Drug Administration and Control found the drugs to be fake. "Had it not been intercepted, about
642,000 adults would have been affected."

"Taking serious note of the action by unscrupulous elements to malign the Indian generic pharma industry, the Embassy of India in Beijing, has been requested to lodge a strong protest with concerned Chinese authorities and also to impress upon them to take stringent action against such unscrupulous elements," the Commerce Ministry release said.

The Indian government also expressed its concern to the Chinese ambassador in New Delhi and requested strict action as such incidents would lend credence to allegations that generic medicines produced in India are often counterfeited, the release added.

In efforts to promote Indian drugs and dispel misgivings on counterfeiting, the Indian government had launched a mission to sensitize officials in African countries on the safety of the cheaper Indian generic drugs when compared to patented versions, the release added.

India, it said, had also launched a massive offensive against manufacture and sale of spurious medicine with regular inspections and sample tests.

India's 12-billion-dollar pharmaceutical industry gets 40 per cent of its revenue from exports of generic drugs largely to developing countries across the world where they compete with large multi-national firms. (dpa)