Imports of bulk drugs and intermediates to India have reported a decline of 3.75% in the first nine months of the fiscal year 2025-26, in line with the continuing trend during the year. During the month of December, the imports declined 4.05%, as against the same month last year.
The imports stood at $3.37 billion during April to December, 2025, as compared to $3.51 billion in the same period of previous fiscal year, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Despite the decline in value terms, the quantity of imports has increased almost 5% during the period.
During the quarter ended December, 2025, the imports declined 6% to $1.14 billion, as compared to $1.21 billion in the same quarter a year ago.
For the month of December, India imported around $410.5 million worth of bulk drugs and intermediates, as compared to $427.84 million during the same month of 2024.
In terms of quantity, the first nine months of the fiscal year reported 4.68% growth at 3,76,845.25 MT of bulk drugs and intermediates, as compared to 3,60,004 MT imported in the same period of last year.
For the quarter ended December, 2025, the quantity grew 9.4% to 1,25,229 MT as compared to 1,14,472 MT during the same period of FY25.
However, during the month of December, the imports stagnant at 39,548 MT as against 39,516 MT in the same month of 2024.
Imports, in rupee terms, was at Rs. 29,472.1 crore during the first nine months of the fiscal year, as compared to Rs. 29,412 crore of April to December period of, 2024-25.
During the quarter ended December, again the growth was muted at Rs. 10,136 crore, as compared to Rs. 10,218 crore reported in the same period of last year.
During the month of December, 2025, the growth was around 1.7% at Rs. 3,698 crore, as against Rs. 3,636 crore during the same month a year ago.
As reported earlier, imports of bulk drugs and intermediates to India has reported a decline of 2.6% in the first half of the fiscal year 2025-26, at $2.24 billion, as compared to $2.3 billion in the same period of previous fiscal year.
The first quarter of FY26, from April to June, 2025, reported a decline of 6.9% in bulk drug imports at $1.08 billion, as compared to $1.16 billion in the same period of 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. |