India dominates global generic medicine supply by volume and is the world's vaccine manufacturing powerhouse, with Sun Pharma, Dr. Reddy's, and Cipla leading the domestic industry.
Global Leadership:
- India is the world's largest provider of generic medicines by volume, with a 20% share of total global pharmaceutical exports
- India is the largest vaccine supplier in the world by volume, accounting for more than 60% of all vaccines manufactured globally
- India is known as the "pharmacy of the world"
- India ranked as the third-largest producer of drugs and pharmaceuticals by volume as of 2023
- The Indian pharmaceutical sector is worth US$ 42 billion worldwide
Market Reach:
- India supplies 40% of US generic demand and 25% of all UK medicines
- Drug formulations and biologicals contribute about 75% of total pharmaceutical exports from India
Top Pharmaceutical Companies (2025):
By Revenue:
- Sun Pharma - ₹20,812.14 crore net sales (tops the list, world's fourth largest specialty generics pharmaceutical company)
- Dr. Reddy's Laboratories - ₹16,962.50 crore
- Cipla - ₹15,790.60 crore
Additional Major Players:
- Torrent Pharmaceuticals (acquired JB Chem in 2025)
- Zydus Lifesciences
- Biocon manufactures novel biologics as well as biosimilar insulins and antibodies
Industry Focus:
- Most of India's largest pharmaceutical companies manufacture and export generic medicines, and are among the largest generic medicine companies globally
- Low-cost vaccines and generic drugs are the primary export products
- Strong presence in highly regulated markets like North America and Europe
Global Value Position:
- Indian pharmaceutical exports rank 11th globally in value terms, accounting for 3% of total pharmaceutical exports
- While India leads in volume, there's room for growth in export value due to historical focus on commodity generics
India as Global R&D Hub:
- India serves as an important hub for innovation, supporting various stages of development of medicines researched globally for multinational pharmaceutical companies like Novartis, Eli Lilly, and Johnson & Johnson