India imported $4.35 bn worth of APIs in FY25, with China accounting for 73.7%, raising supply risk concerns.
India’s reliance on imported Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), bulk drugs and intermediates remained high in FY 2024–25, with imports spanning 200 product categories and valued at approximately USD 4.35 billion, according to HSN-based data from the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS).
China continued to be the dominant supplier, contributing USD 3.20 billion, about 73.71% of total imports, followed by the European Union at USD 593.13 million (13.64%). Other sourcing countries included Singapore (USD 108.27 million), the United States (USD 85.18 million), Japan (USD 78.97 million), Switzerland (USD 44.67 million), Mexico (USD 34.79 million), the United Kingdom (USD 33.25 million), Hong Kong (USD 22.99 million) and Malaysia (USD 22.37 million). Imports from other countries together stood at USD 119.47 million, taking the total to USD 4,347.75 million.
Therapeutic segments with high import dependence include antibiotics, antifungal and anti-amoebic drugs, treatments for gastrointestinal, antidiabetic, endocrine and hormonal disorders, cardiovascular and oncology therapies, medicines for female infertility and contraception, neurology and substance-use disorders, and essential amino acid deficiencies.
The government flagged risks linked to geopolitical uncertainties, including single-source vulnerability, price volatility and predatory pricing, warning that such dependence threatens self-reliance and pharmaceutical security, challenges starkly highlighted during the COVID-19 period.
The data was shared by Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Smt. Anupriya Patel, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha
Source: PIB
