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Imports of bulk drugs and intermediates to India have seen a decline of 2.32 per cent during the first month of the current fiscal year, at $368.65 million as against the $377.42 million same period of previous fiscal year.
The decline in April, 2025 is compared to a 16.1 per cent growth reported in April, 2024 as against $325.15 million in April, 2023.
Almost 71.2 per cent of the total imports in value terms, during the month of April 2025, at around $262.38 million, is reported from China, followed by $13.45 million from Germany, around $8.37 million from Singapore, around $8.34 million from Italy, and $7.2 million from Spain, according to the ministry of commerce and industry.
In Rupee terms, the overall imports during the month of April, 2025 has reported a minor decline to Rs. 3,154.22 crore, as compared to Rs. 3,147.91 crore during the same month of previous fiscal year. Imports in April, 2024 had reported a growth of around 18 per cent to Rs. 2,667 crore during the same month of 2023.
As reported earlier, the imports of bulk drugs and intermediates during the fiscal year 2024-25 reported a growth of 1.8 per cent during the fiscal year 2024-25, even as the quantity has gone up almost 9.3 per cent as compared to the same period a year ago, according to official data.
Imports during the month of March, 2025, has registered a 4.42 per cent growth, with the quantity of imports growing almost nine months during the month compared to the corresponding month, last fiscal year.
According to data from the ministry of commerce and industry, the imports during FY 2024-25 stood at $4.65 billion, as compared to $4.55 billion in FY 2023-24. This is compared to a marginal decline reported in the FY 2023-24, as against the $4.51 billion imports reported during FY 2022-23.
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. 6,940 crore 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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