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India's Pharmaceutical Industry

Global Position and Domestic Structure

India is the world's third-largest pharmaceutical producer by volume (behind China and the US) and ranks 11th by value. With more than 3,000 pharmaceutical companies and 10,500 manufacturing units, India is home to the largest number of US FDA-approved plants outside the United States. The industry is a critical source of affordable medicines for the world — India supplies ~20% of global generic drugs and is often described as the "pharmacy of the world."

Key details
  • Global ranking: 3rd by volume, 11th by value
  • Number of companies: 3,000+; manufacturing units: 10,500+
  • US FDA-approved plants in India: largest number outside the US
  • Generics market share: ~20% of global generic drug supply
  • WHO prequalified API supply: ~57% sourced from India
  • Vaccine supply: ~60% of UNICEF's vaccine requirements; 90% of WHO measles vaccine demand
  • Domestic market size: ~$60 billion (FY2025); target $130 billion by 2030
  • Key pharma clusters: Hyderabad (bulk drugs/APIs), Ahmedabad (formulations), Mumbai (formulations/biotech), Baddi (formulations)
In the news

Tracked since February 21, 2026 · last seen April 29, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes

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