India Pharmaceuticals Market Assessment, By Drug Type, By Type, By Molecule Type, By Dosage Form, By Route of Administration, By Disease Indication, By Distribution Channel, By End-user, By Region, Opportunities and Forecast, FY2018-FY2032F

India pharmaceuticals market is projected to witness a CAGR of 12.26% during the forecast period FY2025-FY2032, growing from USD 60.08 million in FY2024 to USD 151.54 million in FY2032. The market's growth is supported by population expansion, rising chronic disease cases, the strong presence of pharmaceutical manufacturers, and the introduction of favorable government policies. According to estimates from the World Economic Forum, the country's population is expected to rise to 1.515 billion by 2030, thus bolstering market demand and meeting the healthcare requirements of the rapidly growing population.

The main driving force for the growing demand for pharmaceuticals is the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer, among others, in the country. Great emphasis is being placed on developing drugs to treat and manage chronic diseases and disorders to meet the evolving healthcare demands of the country. Additionally, Indian companies are increasingly investing in research and development activities to expand their global footprint. This expansion is expected to be fostered by developing innovation centers and biotechnology hubs in various regions across the country that provide an environment conducive to cutting-edge research and technological advancements. The increasing urbanization has resulted in lifestyle changes and propelled the number of chronic disorders, which in turn is further increasing the demand for pharmaceutical products.

Additionally, the government is focusing on increasing collaborations with different countries and bolstering India pharmaceuticals market. In January 2022, the seventh meeting of India-Tunisia Joint Working Group on Pharmaceuticals was conducted virtually. Both parties agreed to forward the areas of cooperation in pharmaceutical education and research, regulatory corporations, and pharmaceutical trade by identifying focal points.

In March 2022, a new joint working group on pharmaceuticals with Kazakhstan was constituted that drew from the seventh session that the Department of Commerce led. Additionally, in order to strengthen their pharmaceutical efforts in Africa, the Indian pharmaceuticals industry connected with their counterparts in Egypt to diversify the global supply chain and leverage synergies. Such efforts are expected to provide lucrative growth opportunities to the India pharmaceuticals market in the coming years.

Increasing Prevalence of Diseases Support Market Expansion

The rising cases of various diseases across the country is providing lucrative growth opportunities to the market. As per the estimates of the National Center for Disease Informatics and Research, in 2022, approximately 1,461,427 new cases of cancer were projected to occur in India. The growing burden of such chronic diseases is propelling the requirement for different therapeutic solutions, bolstering the India pharmaceuticals market. Pharmaceutical products are essential for effectively managing and treating the conditions. Furthermore, different non-communicable diseases are also growing significantly in India due to changing lifestyles, increasing levels of pollution, stress, and expansion of the aging population. As per the estimates of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), approximately 347 million individuals in India are expected to be sixty or older by 2050. This disease is further expected to boost the requirement for pharmaceuticals as the elderly are more susceptible to diseases. In order to meet the growing demand of patients, investments in pharmaceutical companies are rising to improve their production and manufacturing facilities and support research and development activities.

Supportive Government Measures Boost Market Expansion

As per the estimates of the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), India has over 2000 World Health Organization-Good Manufacturing Practices (WHO-GMP) approved facilities and the highest number of United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) compliant pharmaceutical plants outside the United States. Apart from shaping public health outcomes, the pharmaceuticals industry has also significantly contributed to the country's economic growth. To further propel the growth of the pharmaceuticals sector, the government has introduced various supportive policies to promote foreign investments in the country. For pharmaceuticals, up to 74% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in brownfield projects and 100% FDI in greenfield projects are allowed under the automatic route. The Department of Pharmaceuticals has been awarded with the role of considering foreign investment proposals ever since the abolition of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB). The total FDI inflow in the MedTech and pharma sectors has been approximately USD 15.78 billion (INR 1,32,568 crore) between April 2000 and September 2022. The government is also working towards increasing Indian exporters' access to different countries and regions. Such efforts are expected to strengthen export activities and boost the growth of the country's pharmaceutical industry.

Generics Segment Holds Major Market Share

The growth of generic drugs in the country can be attributed to the strong presence of generic manufacturers, increasing awareness about the safety and efficacy of the drugs, and easy availability of generics across different distribution channels. In January 2023, the generic version of palbociclib, Pfizer Inc.'s breast cancer medicine, was launched in India by Sun Pharmaceutical Industries. This launch was possible after the expiration of the company's Indian patent on the drug and ensured the availability of the drug in the country, aiding patients in combating one of the most common forms of cancer in India. According to the estimates of the Global Cancer Observatory (GCO), India witnessed about 98,337 deaths related to breast cancer among females in 2022.

Furthermore, the growth of the market is also supported by the increasing emphasis on the production of complex generics by key players of the market. Moreover, the presence of strict regulatory standards for generics ensures their quality and efficacy while ensuring their economic efficiency, which is essential for patients living with lifelong diseases that require frequent administration of different therapeutic solutions. Generic drugs are essential for ensuring the accessibility of different medications that are essential for addressing the healthcare requirements of the country.

Cardiovascular Diseases Hold Significant Market Share

The country's increasing number of cardiovascular disease cases is bolstering India's pharmaceuticals market. The rising cases can be attributed to the changing eating habits of the country, adoption of a sedentary lifestyle, cardiomyopathy and underlying genetic predisposition to metabolic deregulation. According to an article published in Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health in February 2022, the self-reported prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in adults aged 45 and above was 29.4% in India.

Meanwhile, the cases of diabetes are expected to significantly increase in the coming years, propelling the requirement for different therapeutic solutions and bolstering the market's growth. This rise can be attributed to growing urbanization, rising environmental and lifestyle changes, rapid industrialization, and evolving eating habits of the population.

Future Market Scenario (FY2025-FY2032F)

The Indian pharmaceuticals industry is working towards providing access to affordable and high-quality drugs across the country, keeping in line with the vision of the government to provide universal healthcare to the Indian population. The industry aims to support the government in reaching its goal by ensuring the easy availability of required therapeutic solutions.

As per the India pharmaceuticals market analysis, the market is expected to witness significant growth in the coming years due to the rising cases of chronic diseases and increasing demand for vaccines across the globe. As per the estimates of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), approximately 124.87 million individuals will be living with diabetes in India by 2045.

The increasing expiration of patents in the coming years is expected to provide lucrative growth opportunities to the market as the expiration will bolster the demand of generic versions of blockbuster drugs and boost the expansion of generic manufacturers. To combat the growing threat of various non-communicable and chronic diseases, the requirement for generics is rising as they allow for the management and treatment of long-term diseases in a cost-efficient manner.

Strategic alliances and partnerships, along with increasing investments by the key players of the market to increase their manufacturing capabilities and boost research and development activities, are also expected to influence the market's expansion positively.

Key Players Landscape and Outlook

The rising investments by different market players towards the upgradation and expansion of their production and manufacturing facilities is boosting the growth of the India pharmaceuticals market. In March 2024, Wipro GE Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. announced an investment of USD 1 billion (INR 8000 crore) in local research and development and manufacturing output over the next five years. The investment is part of the company's efforts to expand its global footprint and domestic capabilities. Additionally, the Indian research and development team is envisioned to play a crucial role in GE HealthCare Technologies Inc.'s artificial intelligence push.

Furthermore, various market players are also increasingly investing towards research and development activities across generics and specialty businesses. This increase can be attributed to the growing expiration of patents and increasing demand for cost effective therapeutic solutions including generics to meet the evolving requirements of the patients. In June 2023, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced that they are planning on developing additional indications for their dermatology products Ilumya and Deuruxotinib and further studying the drug GLP-1. Additionally, the company is also investing in the development of existing products for alternative indications and boost new launches.