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Bulk drug imports marked 4% growth, exports grew over 10% in April
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Gireesh Babu, New Delhi
June 03 , 2026
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Import of bulk drugs and intermediates to India have seen a growth of around 4% during the first month of the current fiscal year, while exports grew around 10.34% on a Year-over-Year (YoY) basis.
Imports during the month of April, 2026, stood at $383.86 million as compared to $368.89 million reported in the same month last year, according to data from the ministry of commerce and industry.
In rupee terms, imports grew almost 13.8% at Rs. 3,591 crore during April, as against Rs. 3,156.3 crore during the corresponding month of previous fiscal year.
Quantity of bulk drugs and intermediates imported during the month grew 4.8% to 46,274 MT as compared to 44,162.9 MT on a YoY basis.
Exports grew to $421.35 million in April, 2026, as compared to $318.84 MT registered in the same month of last year. In rupee terms, this was a growth of 21.42%, at Rs. 3,941.72 crore, against Rs. 3,267.14 crore a year ago.
In terms of quantity, exports grew over 10% in April, at 42,522 MT compared to 38,614.8 MT during April, 2025.
It may be noted that the 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.
Exports grew 3.76% during the financial year 2025-26, reporting a trade surplus of around $600 million for the period.
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.
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.
It has also announced schemes to promote bulk drug parks in the country, as part of its efforts to promote domestic manufacturing of pharma ingredients.
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