US, UK driving India’s pharma exports

New Delhi: India’s pharmaceutical exports continue to register double-digit growth, reflecting the strong demand for the country’s affordable generic medicines in global markets led by the USA and UK.

India’s pharma exports grew by 10.45 per cent in May this year to touch the $2.3 billion mark compared with the $2.08 billion in the same month of the previous financial year.

“It is moving in a positive way and we are optimistic of sustaining growth of not less than 10 per cent,” Director General, Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India, Ravi Uday Bhaskar said on the quick estimate numbers released last week by the Centre.

India is now the world’s third-largest drugmaker by volume amid the growing demand for the country’s pharmaceutical products in export markets.

The US is a key market, which accounts for about 30 per cent of India's annual pharma exports after a nearly 16 per cent increase in fiscal 2024, according to Pharmexcil. The country’s drug shortages as well as the increased use of drugs for lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and depression is expected to fuel the demand for India's affordably priced drugs, according to Bhaskar.