Indian Pharmaceuticals Industry in Global Scenario: An Appraisal

Today, the Indian pharmaceuticals industry is recognised the world over due to the quality and cost-effectiveness of its products. At present, globally it is one of the fastest-growing industries and contributes 2.4 per cent value wise and 10 per cent volume wise globally. India alone accounts for 20 per cent of global exports in generics. In 2016, the Indian pharma industry exported USD16.89 billion and is expected to touch USD40 billion by 2020. The present generics market has immense potentiality for foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, and worth USD14.53 billion of FDI inflows came in between April 2000 and December 2016. We have witnessed that Indian pharma companies go for joint ventures with multinational companies, make strategic alliances and co-promotions, contract research and manufacturing services, export, acquisitions and mergers, focus on new markets other than the USA and Europe, buy offshore plants and increase stakes in other companies. India is also becoming an attractive investment for the clinical trials market. The objective of this paper is to analyse the Indian pharmaceuticals industry—opportunity and threats, strategies of the Indian companies particularly after trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPS).