NEW DELHI, July 8 (Xinhua) -- India will continue to produce with generic drugs for free treatment to HIV positive patients and won't compromise on drug licensing norms, said local media reports Friday.

India has over 2.5 million HIV positive people across the country.

Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma was quoted as saying Thursday that the government reaffirms its full commitment to ensure that quality generic medicines, including antiretroviral drugs, are "seamlessly available".

"To make them available to all countries, India will also use the flexibilities allowed under TRIPS (trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights) to ensure that people living with HIV have access to all life-saving medicines,"he said.

The minister said these at a meeting with UNAIDS executive director Michel Sidibe in the national capital.

"Millions of people will die if India cannot produce generic antiretroviral drugs, and Africa will be the most affected. For me, it is an issue of life or death," Sidibe said.

(Source:news.xinhuanet.com)