By Sriparna Roy and Rishika Sadam
NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India is searching for to spice up drug exports to semi-regulated markets in Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia to scale back its dependence on the U.S., the place tariff considerations pose dangers, officers from a government-backed commerce physique advised Reuters on Thursday.
The Prescription drugs Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) additionally plans to push for gross sales of completed items to China to bridge the commerce deficit, the officers stated. The Indian business imports greater than 60% of its uncooked supplies and lively pharmaceutical elements from China.
Whereas Indian pharmaceutical exports are at the moment exempt from President Donald Trump‘s tariffs of as much as 50%, rising uncertainty and tensions between the nations have saved the business cautious.
“It’s a matter of concern for us,” Pharmexcil Chairman Namit Joshi stated, referring to the U.S. tariffs.
The U.S. is India’s largest market and accounts for barely greater than a 3rd of India’s pharmaceutical exports, which comprise primarily cheaper generic variations of widespread medicine. Exports to the nation rose 20% to about $10.5 billion in fiscal 2025.
“The purpose is how medium and small enterprises and massive firms can come collectively and work on these (semi-regulated)markets,” Bhavin Mehta, Pharmexcil’s vice chairman, stated on the sidelines of a convention.
The commerce physique plans to submit its associated plan to the federal government by subsequent week, Mehta stated.
Earlier this week, Reuters had reported about India’s plans to extend pharmaceutical exports to Russia, the Netherlands and Brazil, citing two business sources.
India recorded a commerce deficit of $99.2 billion with China within the fiscal 12 months that led to March 2025, pushed by a surge in imports of digital items and shopper durables.
“If 20% commerce deficit will get coated by exporting again to China, I feel we (might) generate $6 billion from China,” Pharmexcil’s Joshi stated on Thursday.
(Reporting by Sriparna Roy and Rishika Sadam in New Delhi; Writing by Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru; Enhancing by Dhanya Skariachan and Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)
