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Bulk drug exports grew 14.17% in Q1 FY27, imports grew 2.75%
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Gireesh Babu, New Delhi
August 26 , 2026
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Exports of bulk drugs and intermediates from the country have reported a 14.17% growth during the first quarter of the fiscal year 2026-27, while imports grew 2.75% during the same period as compared to the corresponding three months of the previous fiscal year.
According to the data from the ministry of commerce and industry, exports of bulk drugs and intermediates from April 1 to June 30, 2026, was at $1.37 billion, as compared to $1.2 billion during the same period a year ago.
In Rupee terms, exports for the three months grew 26.21% at Rs. 12,938.9 crore as against Rs. 10,251.6 crore registered during the corresponding quarter of previous year. Quantity reported a growth of 5.3% on a Year-over-Year (YoY) basis at 1,26,553 MT, as compared to 1,20,200.7 MT in the same period last year.
Exports during the month ended June 30, grew 14.6% to $484.51 million as compared to $422.71 million reported during the same month a year ago.
In rupee terms, exports reported growth of 25.71% to Rs. 4,601.37 crore in June, compared to Rs. 3,631.25 crore exported in the same month last year. Quantity grew 2.41% to 39,554.97 MT during the month as compared to 38,622.48 MT on a YoY basis.
Import of bulk drugs during the first three months of the fiscal year 2026-27 grew 2.75% to $1.12 billion, as compared to $1.09 billion during the same period last year.
In rupee terms, the import growth was 13.92% to Rs. 10,577.5 crore as against Rs. 9,284.76 crore reported on a YoY basis. Quantity of imports grew 6.34% during the quarter at 1,35,131.46 MT as compared to 1,27,077.16 MT during the same period a year ago.
During the month of June, 2026, imports grew 11.68% to $365.42 million compared to $327.19 million a year ago. In rupee terms, imports grew 23.47% to Rs. 3,470.39 crore on a YoY basis compared to Rs. 2,810.69 crore. Quantity of imports grew 6.9% to 41,722.59 MT in June, 2026, as against 39,029.4 MT reported in the same period last year.
The bulk drugs and intermediates exports during the 12 months from April, 2025 to March, 2026, stood at $5.08 billion, as against $4.9 billion in the same period of previous year. Exports during the financial year 2024-25 reported a 2.3% growth to $4.9 billion, as compared to $4.79 billion in the previous fiscal year.
Imports of bulk drugs and intermediates to the country have registered a decline of 3.31% during the fiscal year 2025-26 at $4.48 billion, as compared to $4.64 billion reported during the previous fiscal year. The imports during FY 2024-25 was an increase of almost 2% as compared to $4.55 billion in FY 2023-24. FY24 reported a marginal growth of less than 1% as against the $4.51 billion imports reported during FY23.
The Central government has been emphasising on reducing the imports of essential pharmaceutical raw materials such as bulk drugs, drug intermediates and key starting materials, among others, and has initiated various incentive schemes to support domestic production of these materials.
The Department of Pharmaceuticals has been promoting production of pharma raw materials in the country, including through a production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for promotion of domestic manufacturing of critical key starting materials (KSMs)/drug intermediates and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in the country, to support the industry in various aspects regarding ease of doing business and availing the benefits of the Scheme.
The scheme, notified by the Centre on July 21, 2020, envisages manufacturing of 41 bulk drugs with a total outlay of Rs. 6,940crore during the tenure of the scheme, which is from 2020-21 to 2029-30. It envisages incentive at the rate of 20% for the first four years, 15% for fifth year and 5% for sixth year on eligible sales of fermentation based bulk drugs. In respect of chemical synthesis based bulk drugs, incentive is to be given at the rate of 10% for six years on the eligible sales.
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