Flooded with requests for hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug that has been touted as a potential “game-changer” for Covid-19 patients by US President Donald Trump, India on Tuesday decided to relax the complete ban placed on its export on Saturday. The decision for export of hydroxychloroquine as well as paracetamol will be made on a case-by-case basis, after ensuring India has enough for its own domestic needs, government officials said. Announcing the reversal in position, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, “With regard to paracetamol and Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), they will be kept in a licenced category and their demand position would be continuously monitored. However, the stock position could allow our companies to meet the export commitments that they had contracted.” India is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of the anti-malarial drug and according to the Indian Drug Manufacturer’s association, it has enough capacity to cater to both global and local markets. Notably, the US President’s comments, made at the White House press briefing on Monday, haven’t gone down well with many in India, with critics pointing out that there was no need for him to be so abrasive when Mr Modi has already agreed to help. Hydroxychloroquine is very similar to Chloroquine, one of the oldest and best-known anti-malarial drugs. But the drug – which can also treat auto-immune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus – has also attracted attention over the past few decades as a potential antiviral agent. President Trump said that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved it for treating coronavirus, something the organization has denied. Mr Trump later said that it had been approved for “compassionate use” – which means a doctor can give a drug that is yet to be cleared by the government to a patient in a life-threatening condition.