Indian Pharmaceuticals Industry Analysis

Indian pharmaceutical sector accounts for about 3.1 – 3.6 per cent of the global pharmaceutical industry in value terms and 10 per cent in volume terms and is expected to grow to US$ 100 billion by 2025. India contributes the second largest share of pharmaceutical and biotech workforce in the world. In March 2018, the Indian pharmaceutical market grew at 9.5 per cent year-on-year.

With 71 per cent market share, generic drugs form the largest segment of the Indian pharmaceutical sector. India has become the third largest global generic API merchant market by 2016, with a 7.2 per cent market share. The country accounts for the second largest number of Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs) and is the world’s leader in Drug Master Files (DMFs) applications with the US Indian Drugs & Pharmaceuticals sector has received cumulative FDI worth US$ 15.59 billion between April 2000 – December 2017.

Indian drugs are exported to more than 200 countries in the world, with the US as the key market. Generic drugs account for 20 per cent of global exports in terms of volume, making the country the largest provider of generic medicines globally and expected to expand even further in coming years. India exported pharmaceutical products worth Rs 767.17 billion (US$ 11.90 billion) during April 2017–January 2018.

The Government of India plans to set up a US$ 640 million venture capital fund to boost drug discovery and strengthen pharmaceutical infrastructure. The ‘Pharma Vision 2020’ by the government’s Department of Pharmaceuticals aims to make India a major hub for end-to-end drug discovery.