Comm secy asks pharma sector to cut dependence on imported raw materials

New Delhi: Commerce secretary Rajesh Agrawal Saturday asked the pharmaceutical industry to reduce its dependence on critical imported raw materials by meeting atleast 80-90% of domestic pharmaceutical requirements through indigenous production.

Addressing an event in Hyderabad, he said while India exports to around 200 countries, there remains significant scope for expansion and resilience-building through a stronger market presence.

Emphasising the need to navigate an increasingly uncertain and geopolitically volatile global environment, he said: “The importance of ensuring greater self-reliance by meeting 80-90% (or higher) of domestic pharmaceutical requirements through indigenous production, while reducing critical import dependencies in APIs, bulk drugs, and intermediates”.


He also emphasised the “importance of insulating import supply chains in a geopolitically fragmented world, where availability may be important”.

India is the third-largest producer of pharmaceuticals globally by volume and 14th by value. Pharma exports rose 5% on-year in April-February FY26, at $28.29 billion.

Stressing the need for a strategic repositioning of India as a global hub for both quality and cost-effective pharmaceuticals, Agrawal said that quality will remain the decisive factor in healthcare.

He called for the development of a robust quality ecosystem to enhance global trust, aligning with emerging industry trends such as biologics and biosimilars and the need to transition from a volume-driven to a value-driven industry through greater focus on innovation, including participation in developing new patents, alongside continued strength in generics.