About Pharmaceutical Industries in India

Introduction

The Indian pharmaceutical industry has shown tremendous progress in terms of infrastructure development, technology base creation and a wide range of production. Even while undergoing restructuring, it has established its presence and determination to flourish in the changing environment. The industry now produces bulk drugs belonging to all major therapeutic groups. Strong scientific and technical manpower and pioneering work done in process development have contributed to this.

Total production of bulk drugs and formulations during 1997-98 is estimated at Rs. 26280 million and Rs. 120680 million respectively. The growth rate has been around 15% for bulk drugs and 20% for formulations during ninetees. The performance on the export front is also noteworthy, clocking a growth rate of more than 20% in 1997-98. Nevertheless, the scope to increase the volume of exports is tremendous.

Technological Strengths

The following form the basis of the technological strengths of the Indian pharmaceutical industry:-

• Self-reliance displayed by the production of 70% of bulk drugs and almost the entire requirement of formulations within the country
• Low cost of production
• Low R&D costs
• Innovative Scientific manpower
• Strength of National Laboratories  
• Increasing balance of trade in pharma sector

Negative List of Items

Negative list of items under EXIM Policy 1997-2002

Small Scale Unit

The present investment limit for units to qualify as a small scale unit is Rs. 3 crores. Some drugs are reserved for exclusive manufacture by the small scale units. These are given below:

• Niacinamide
• Paracetamol
• Glycero Phosphates
• Nicotinic Acid

Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Cell

The Export Promotion Cell in the Pharmaceutical Division acts as a nodal agency in the matters related to export of pharmaceuticals. In order to give adequate attention to day-to-day problems faced by the exporters, the Cell interacts with various Ministries/Departments and our Missions abroad. The Cell also collects statistical data on export and import of pharmaceuticals in the country and provides commercially useful information on developing and increasing drugs and pharmaceutical exports. The Cell has also been entrusted with organisation of seminars and workshops on standards, quality control requirements etc. of important countries so as to prepare domestic companies for exporting their products.

The Cell communicates with 131 Missions abroad to collect  information related to pharmaceutical industry in these countries such as, status of the pharmaceutical industry, details of documentation, guidelines for licensing of pharmaceutical companies as well as registration for medicines, details of pharmaceutical market with information on local production, demographic data, details of health care system, health indicators and prevalent disease pattern, details of imports of pharmaceuticals of these countries, details of joint venture units for pharmaceuticals operating in these countries etc. The Cell has started providing commercially useful information to the industry/exporters for boosting pharmaceutical exports.

For further details regarding Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Cell (PEPC), Please contact

Ms. Veenu Gupta
Deputy Secretary (PI)
Tel. : 3 3 8 7 7 6 1
Fax : 3 3 8 8 6 2 8
E-Mail : [email protected]

Shri V.A. Davis
Under Secretary (PI-III)
Tel. : 3 3 8 7 2 0 2
Fax : 3 3 8 8 6 2 8 : 3 3 8 7 2 0 2
Fax : 3 3 8 8 6 2 8