Indian Pharmaceutical Industry

Introduction

India is the largest provider of generic drugs globally. Indian pharmaceutical sector supplies over 50% of global demand for various vaccines, 40% of generic demand in the US and 25% of all medicine in the UK.

India enjoys an important position in the global pharmaceuticals sector. The country also has a large pool of scientists and engineers with a potential to steer the industry ahead to greater heights. Presently, over 80% of the antiretroviral drugs used globally to combat AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) are supplied by Indian pharmaceutical firms.

Market Size

Indian pharmaceutical sector is expected to grow to US$ 100 billion, while medical device market is expected to grow US$ 25 billion by 2025. Pharmaceuticals export from India stood at US$ 20.70 billion in FY20. Pharmaceutical export includes bulk drugs, intermediates, drug formulations, biologicals, Ayush and herbal products and surgical.

India's biotechnology industry comprising biopharmaceuticals, bio-services, bio-agriculture, bio-industry, and bioinformatics is expected grow at an average growth rate of around 30% a y-o-y to reach US$ 100 billion by 2025.

India’s domestic pharmaceutical market turnover reached Rs 1.4 lakh crore (US$ 20.03 billion) in 2019, up 9.8% y-o-y from Rs 129,015 crore (US$ 18.12 billion) in 2018.

Investments and Recent Developments

The Union Cabinet has given its nod for the amendment of existing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy in the pharmaceutical sector in order to allow FDI up to 100% under the automatic route for manufacturing of medical devices subject to certain conditions.

The drugs and pharmaceuticals sector attracted cumulative FDI inflow worth US$ 16.50 billion between April 2000 and March 2020 according to the data released by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).

Some of the recent developments/investments in the Indian pharmaceutical sector are as follows:

• In May 2020, Jubilant Generics Ltd entered into a non-exclusive licencing agreement with US-based Gilead Sciences Inc to manufacture and sell the potential COVID-19 drug Remdesivir in 127 countries, including India.
• Affordable medicines under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) achieved record sales turnover of Rs 52 crore (US$ 7.38 million) in the month of April 2020.
• During December 2019, on moving annual total (MAT) basis, industry growth was at 9.8%, with price growth at 5.3%, new product growth at 2.7%, while volume growth at 2% y-o-y.
• In October 2019, Telangana Government proposed Hyderabad Pharma City with financial assistance from the Central government of Rs 3,418 crore (US$ 489 million).
• As on August 2019, the moving annual turnover (MAT) for biosimilar molecules sold in the domestic market stood at Rs 1,498 crore (US$ 214.31 million).
• Healthcare sector witnessed private equity of total US$ 1.1 billion with 27 deals in H12019.
• Indian pharmaceutical industry’s export to the US will get a boost as branded drugs worth US$ 55 billion will become off-patent during 2017 2019.

Government Initiatives

Some of the initiatives taken by the Government to promote the pharmaceutical sector in India are as follows:

• India plans to set up a nearly Rs 1 lakh crore (US$ 1.3 billion) fund to provide boost to companies to manufacture pharmaceutical ingredients domestically by 2023.
• In November 2019, the Cabinet approved extension/renewal of extant Pharmaceuticals Purchase Policy (PPP) with the same terms and conditions while adding one additional product namely, Alcoholic Hand Disinfectant (AHD) to the existing list of 103 medicines till the final closure/strategic disinvestment of Pharma CPSUs.
• Under Budget 2020–21, Rs 65,012 crore (US$ 9.30 billion) has been allocated to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is. The Government has allocated Rs 34,115 crore (US$ 4.88 billion) towards the National Health Mission under which rural and urban people will get benefited.
• Rs 6,400 crore (US$ 915.72 million) has been allocated to health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
• As per Economic Survey 2019–20, Government expenditure (as a percentage of GDP) increased to 1.6% in FY20 from 1.2% in FY15 on health.
• The National Health Protection Scheme is the largest Government funded healthcare programme in the world, which is expected to benefit 100 million poor families in the country by providing a cover of up to Rs 5 lakh (US$ 7,723.2) per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation. The programme was announced in Union Budget 2018–19.
• The Government of India is planning to set up an electronic platform to regulate online pharmacies under a new policy to stop any misuse due to easy availability.
• Government of India unveiled 'Pharma Vision 2020' to make India a global leader in end-to-end drug manufacture. Approval time for new facilities has been reduced to boost investment.
• Government of India has offered Rs 6,940 crore (US$ 942.8 million) production linked incentives between 5–20% for incremental sales and plans to set up three mega drug parks to drive sustainable cost competitiveness

Road Ahead

Medicine spending in India is projected to grow 9 12% over the next five years, leading India to become one of the top 10 countries in terms of medicine spending.

Going forward, better growth in domestic sales would also depend on the ability of companies to align their product portfolio towards chronic therapies for diseases such as such as cardiovascular, anti-diabetes, anti-depressants and anti-cancers, which are on the rise.

The Indian Government has taken many steps to reduce costs and bring down healthcare expenses. Speedy introduction of generic drugs into the market has remained in focus and is expected to benefit the Indian pharmaceutical companies. In addition, the thrust on rural health programmes, lifesaving drugs and preventive vaccines also augurs well for the pharmaceutical companies.

Note: Conversion rate used in April 2020, Rs 1 = US$ 0.013123

References: Consolidated FDI Policy, Press Information Bureau (PIB), Media Reports, Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council, AIOCD-AWACS, IQVIA

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.