Self reliance in APIs

March 10, 2026

Under the scheme for “Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks”, three Bulk Drug Parks each in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh have been approved.

The Government has approved the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for promotion of domestic manufacturing of critical Key Starting Materials (KSMs)/ Drug Intermediates (DIs) and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), with a total budgetary outlay of ₹6,940 crore and scheme tenure from FY2022-23 to FY2028–29. The Scheme aims to boost domestic manufacturing of 41 identified critical products, reduce import dependence and mitigate supply chain risks arising from excessive reliance on a single source.

Significant progress has been achieved under the Scheme towards attaining self-reliance in critical APIs. Out of 41 notified products, 33 have been subscribed and 48 greenfield projects have been approved with committed investment of ₹4,329.95 crore. Against this commitment, actual investment of ₹4,814.1 crore has already been completed. As of December 2025, 38 projects covering 28 notified products have been commissioned, resulting in establishment of domestic manufacturing capacity of approximately 56,800 MT per annum.

Key products now being manufactured under the Scheme include Penicillin G, Clavulanic Acid, Atorvastatin, Telmisartan, Para Amino Phenol, Oxcarbazepine, Olmesartan, Sulfadiazine, Diclofenac Sodium and Artesunate, among others, catering to critical therapeutic areas such as antibiotics, cardiovascular diseases, pain management, seizure disorders and infections.

Cumulative sales of ₹2,720 crore have been achieved under the Scheme, including exports of ₹527.96 crore. Net of exports, domestic requirement of approximately ₹2,192 crore has been met through indigenous production, progressively substituting imports. Total incentive of ₹59.43 crore has been disbursed as of February 2026. With commissioning of remaining projects and stabilization of production, the Scheme is expected to significantly strengthen India’s self-reliance in critical APIs within the overall scheme outlay.

The Government has taken several measures to reduce import dependence on critical APIs, KSMs and Drug Intermediates. These include the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Bulk Drugs and the Scheme for Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks, which aim to strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity and promote domestic production of critical fermentation-based and chemical synthesis-based bulk drugs.

The details of India’s import of APIs, KSMs and Drug Intermediates since 2020, country-wise and item-wise is given at Annexure I and Annexure II respectively.

There is no private sector investment in Bulk Drug Park Scheme. It is purely funded by Central and State funds.

Under the PLI Scheme for Bulk Drugs and PLI Scheme for Pharmaceuticals, investment commitment of ₹21,605 crore stands substantially exceeded with cumulative investment of ₹46,734 crore made under the scheme till December, 2025

Under both PLI Schemes, production/ sales target of ₹2,94,000 crore stands substantially exceeded with cumulative sales of ₹3,36,556 crore made under the scheme till December, 2025. The tenure of the PLI Scheme for Bulk Drugs is till the financial year 2029-30. The tenure of the PLI Scheme for Pharmaceuticals is till the financial year 2028-29.

Annexure I

Details of India’s import value (in ₹ crore) of APIs, KSMs and Drug Intermediates since 2020, (Country-wise)

Sl. No.	Country	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25
1	CHINA P RP	18646	20982	23791	25850	27032
2	U S A	1235	1215	928	737	691
3	SINGAPORE	790	1042	899	1000	917
4	ITALY	803	777	846	970	1089
5	JAPAN	547	598	755	748	650
6	GERMANY	471	560	541	873	693
7	SPAIN	534	541	641	630	704
8	BELGIUM	480	441	444	517	367
9	HONG KONG	413	427	366	606	167
10	FRANCE	355	409	465	271	391
11	AUSTRIA	267	485	494	373	257
12	KOREA RP	386	549	283	191	170
13	NETHERLAND	228	261	320	279	428
14	DENMARK	322	354	254	272	263
15	SWITZERLAND	172	214	215	221	376
16	TAIWAN	226	226	292	229	172
17	MEXICO	155	156	235	287	294
18	MALAYSIA	149	200	259	231	189
19	U K	187	198	178	149	303
20	INDONESIA	97	192	143	33	52
21	SLOVENIA	160	113	112	79	32
22	HUNGARY	73	111	65	102	104
23	CZECH REPUBLIC	83	93	84	103	84
24	PORTUGAL	56	51	112	114	58
25	VIETNAM SOC REP	27	45	41	73	84
26	MACAO	45	45	61	32	47
27	AUSTRALIA	38	27	39	45	89
28	BULGARIA	43	17	30	58	46
29	THAILAND	22	28	38	51	46
30	RUSSIA	41	49	2	23	14
31	U ARAB EMTS	8	67	16	21	14
32	IRELAND	19	69	11	14	8
33	IRAN	10	11	54	21	25
34	BRAZIL	25	20	29	14	14
35	SLOVAK REP	29	10	9	13	27
36	ISRAEL	20	14	19	19	16
37	MADAGASCAR	16	30	12	13	15
38	MALTA	7	18	10	18	35
39	SOUTH AFRICA	21	23	9	14	11
40	GREECE	7	10	18	17	30
41	ROMANIA	4	5	9	22	22
42	CANADA	15	20	8	9	5
43	UNSPECIFIED	20	6	11	3	13
44	ARGENTINA	16	17	9	2	1
45	COLOMBIA	5	10	16	10	8
46	POLAND	7	3	8	21	11
47	FINLAND	3	4	13	11	9
48	TURKEY	7	5	8	9	8
49	CROATIA	11	2	11	2	8
50	EGYPT A RP	7	6	7	3	1
51	UKRAINE	15	1	0	1	0
52	LATVIA	4	3	1	2	9
53	SWEDEN	3	2	6	1	5
54	CHILE	1	1	2	1	10
55	PUERTO RICO	8	1	0	0	0
56	SAUDI ARAB	2	0	4	1	0
57	KENYA	2	1	1	1	1
58	JORDAN	0	0	3	0	4
59	ECUADOR	0	0	4	3	0
60	MYANMAR	0	4	0	0	0
61	TANZANIA REP	3	0	0	0	0
62	MOROCCO	0	0	0	2	2
63	OMAN	0	1	0	2	1
64	BANGLADESH PR	0	2	0	0	0
65	PHILIPPINES	2	0	0	0	0
66	ALGERIA	0	0	0	3	0
67	ESTONIA	0	0	0	0	3
68	RWANDA	0	2	1	0	0
69	SUDAN	1	0	1	0	0
70	MOZAMBIQUE	2	0	0	0	0
71	NEW ZEALAND	2	0	0	0	0
72	LUXEMBOURG	1	0	1	0	0
73	BELARUS	1	0	1	0	0
74	PAKISTAN IR	0	0	1	0	0
75	CYPRUS	0	0	2	0	0
76	SRI LANKA DSR	0	0	1	0	0
77	PERU	0	0	0	0	1
78	SWAZILAND	0	1	0	0	0
79	SENEGAL	1	0	0	0	0
80	TUNISIA	1	0	0	0	0
81	GHANA	0	1	0	0	0
82	NIGERIA	1	0	0	0	0
84	LESOTHO	1	0	0	0	0
Grand Total		27361	30783	33251	35422	36124

Annexure II

Details of India’s import value (in ₹ crore) of APIs, KSMs and Drug Intermediates since 2020, (Item-wise)

Sl. No.	Item Description	HS Code	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25
1	Other Antibiotics	29419090	4801	5780	4931	6829	6666
2	Other Diloxanide Furoate, Cimetidine, Famotidine Nes	29420090	3323	3314	2806	2750	2808
3	Other	29331999	2304	1863	2493	3040	2159
4	6 – Apa	29411050	1253	1551	2848	3486	3592
5	Erthromycin And Its Drvtvs Slts Thereof	29415000	1141	1120	940	1365	1439
6	Penicillins And Its Salts	29411010	934	1031	1713	2066	1902
7	Other Penicillins And Thr Drvtvs Wth A Pentcillianic Ac	29411090	892	840	716	506	697
8	Other Compnds Cntng An Unfused Imidazole Ring (W/N Hydrgntd	29332990	797	726	715	648	678
9	Methionine	29304000	756	1081	1147	1171	1476
10	Other Rifampicin And Its Salts	29419019	661	748	634	610	471
11	Othr Steroidal Hormons Thr Drvtvs And Strctl Anlges	29372900	599	721	820	1088	917
12	1-Cyanoguanidine(Dicyandiamide)	29262000	568	952	909	647	607
13	Other Glycosides Ntrl/Rprdcd By Synthsis Andthr Slts Ethrs D	29389090	520	421	544	610	654
14	Lysine And Its Esters Salts Thereof	29224100	488	1013	995	896	1130
15	Oestrogens And Progestogens	29372300	417	351	372	440	510
16	Hydroquinone (Quinol) And Its Salts	29072200	328	350	579	330	329
17	Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) And Its Drvtvs	29362700	315	223	323	216	216
18	Pyridine And Its Salts	29333100	297	361	553	258	205
19	Other Derivatives of Pyradine	29333919	257	319	513	0	0
20	Cortisone,Hydrocortisone,Prednisone (Dehy-Drocortisone)And F	29372100	255	227	311	351	333
21	Mannitol	29054300	248	255	283	424	439
22	Salicylic Acid	29182110	240	260	279	207	215
23	Sugrs Chmcly Pure Othr Thn Sucrose Lactosemaltose Etc	29400000	234	684	385	374	495
24	Eth0xy Methylene Mal0nate,Diethyl Mal0nate	29171970	230	221	295	164	167
25	Vitamin B12 (Cynocobalamin)	29362610	214	235	275	280	224
26	Rifampicin	29419011	202	255	158	76	347
27	Doxycylime And Its Salts	29413010	198	308	177	202	188
28	Amoxycilline And Its Salts	29411030	196	146	371	386	363
29	Ibuprofane	29420012	192	127	83	87	65
30	Insulin And Its Salts	29371200	182	241	243	292	285
31	Other Tetracyclines And Thr Drvtvs Slts	29413090	169	103	180	244	208
32	Halgntd Drvtvs Of Corti Costeroidal	29372200	167	175	246	190	235
33	Beta Pic0line ( 3-Methyl Pyridine )	29333916	140	167	173	109	124
34	Vitamins A And Their Derivatives	29362100	137	185	158	296	128
35	Cephalexin And Its Salts	29419020	131	117	182	242	291
36	Concentrates Of Poppy Straw Cmpnds Of Morphin, Codeine,	29391100	128	159	164	141	226
37	L-Cystine (Alpha-Amino Beta-Thio Propionicacid)-Sul	29309040	126	153	201	171	158
38	Vitamin E And Its Derivatives	29362800	124	190	227	307	359
39	M-Phenylenediamine (M-Diaminobenzene)	29215120	124	159	53	42	34
40	Other Polypeptide Hormones Thr Dtvtvs And Strctl Anlges	29371900	123	221	408	223	396
41	D-Or Dl-Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B3 Or Vitamin B5) And	29362400	108	106	0	105	82
42	Other Vitamins And Thr Drvtvs	29362990	107	75	66	132	159
43	Vitamin B1i(Thiamine, Aneurine) And Its Salt	29362210	106	149	158	99	159
44	Amino Acetic Acid (Glycine)	29224910	99	154	220	117	217
45	D(-) Para Hydroxy Danes Salts	29420016	97	102	185	174	230
46	Gelatin Capsules,Empty	96020030	94	81	85	57	51
47	Methyl Dopa(L-Alpha Methyl-3, 4-Dihydroxyphenyla	29214236	83	79	112	114	102
48	Tetracycline/Oxytetra – Cycline And Hr Salts	29413020	82	120	79	89	97
49	Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin, Lactoplavin) And Its Salts	29362310	78	88	55	79	99
50	Phenylacetic Acid And Its Salts	29163400	76	67	55	29	49
51	Para Acetyl Aminophenol(Paracetamol)	29222933	74	125	109	52	0
52	Ciprofloxacine And Its Salts	29419030	71	78	123	68	80
53	Monochloroacetic Acid,Thr Salts And Esters	29154010	69	81	91	55	19
54	Danes Salt Of D (-) Phenyl Glycine	29420015	68	85	109	153	161
55	Vitamin B6 And Its Drvts	29362500	66	73	88	100	123
56	Hydantoin And Its Derivatives	29332100	65	23	32	35	34
57	Calcium Gluconate	29181610	64	73	55	58	77
58	D-Glucitol (Sorbitol)	29054400	60	57	70	79	89
59	O- Phenylenediamine	29215110	56	130	126	101	133
60	Other Alkaloids Of Opium Andthr Drvtvs,Salts	29391900	54	73	134	130	150
61	Gentamycin And Its Salts	29419040	54	62	57	67	72
62	Caffeine And Its Salts	29393000	54	86	203	200	200
63	Vitamin D	29362940	51	79	88	70	124
64	Other Vitamin B12 And Its Derivatives	29362690	50	26	13	6	12
65	Other, Incl. Natural Concentrts	29369000	47	25	9	6	10
66	Guaiacol	29095010	42	53	70	23	17
67	Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)	29362910	40	36	39	36	28
68	Sulphamide	29359024	40	25	7	9	7
69	P-Phenylenediamine	29215130	37	77	96	34	43
70	Chloramphenicol And Its Drvtvs Slts Thereof	29414000	34	40	46	26	21
71	Metronidazole Metronidiazole Benzoate	29332920	32	42	120	71	92
72	Isoniazid	29280010	31	10	1	30	14
73	Other Vitamin B1i And Its Drivatives	29362290	31	20	27	26	29
74	Acetanilide	29242910	31	57	83	101	113
75	Other Streptomycine And Drvtvs, Salts	29412090	31	40	17	38	19
76	Neomycin	29419050	30	27	23	31	21
77	Vitamin H (Bi0lin)	29362950	29	21	22	15	13
78	Streptomycins	29412010	29	52	39	18	39
79	Malonylurea (Barbituric Acid) And Its Sals	29335200	29	60	64	45	39
80	Sodium Citrate	29181520	28	23	39	34	19
81	Cysteanune Hcl	29420026	28	36	28	21	24
82	Cefadroxil	29420011	28	27	24	9	14
83	Cmpnds Cntng A Phenothiazine Ring-System (W/N Hydrgntd ) Nt	29343000	25	28	45	52	58
84	Prostaglandins, Tiromboxamesand Leukotrienesthr	29375000	23	40	39	40	77
85	Cimetidine	29420032	21	34	8	7	5
86	Analgin	29331970	20	17	24	24	38
87	Norfloxacin And Its Salts	29419060	20	16	18	30	104
88	Albendaz0le	29332950	19	3	12	16	13
89	Quinine Sulphate	29392030	19	8	8	6	4
90	Sulphadimidine	29359014	19	23	15	15	12
91	Ranitidine	29420014	19	3	1	1	1
92	Sulphadiazine	29359013	18	17	3	4	5
93	3,4,5-Trimethoxy-Benzaldehyede	29124940	18	2	6	9	3
94	Potassium Citrate	29181510	17	7	12	11	15
95	L-Tyrosine(P-Hydroxyphenylamine)	29225015	16	29	39	27	24
96	Gamma Picoline(4-Methyl Pyridine)	29333913	15	10	3	14	2
97	Methyl Salicylate	29182310	14	17	36	21	12
98	Nctnc Acid And Nctnmd(Niacinamide/Niacine	29362920	14	15	20	22	15
99	Vitamin K (Menaphthonum B.P.)	29362930	13	20	25	20	18
100	Coumarin, Methylcoumarins And Ethylcoumarins	29322010	12	11	5	3	5
101	Ampicilline And Its Salts	29411020	12	5	15	6	3
102	Alpra Zolam, Camazepam And Other Cmpnds Of Zepam, Salts The	29339100	12	11	20	22	19
103	Salbutamol Sulphate	29051420	12	5	0	0	2
104	Rutoside (Rutin) And Its Derivatives	29381000	10	47	52	34	39
105	Dextrose Other Than Solid	17024039	9	8	9	9	11
106	Rifa Or Rifa S Sodium (Rifaint)	29419013	9	26	14	70	131
107	Somatotropin, Its Drvtvsand Strctl Analogves	29371100	9	4	0	0	0
108	Lutidine (Dimethyle Pyridine)	29333918	8	2	3	8	25
109	Piperan0l	29329300	8	16	7	27	22
110	Meprobamate (Inn)	29241100	8	14	13	6	17
111	Phenyl-Methyl Pyrazolone	29331940	8	18	20	4	7
112	Piperidine And Its Salts	29333200	7	4	29	29	60
113	Thymol	29071930	6	2	1	1	1
114	Amino-Acid Derivatives	29379020	6	6	9	29	93
115	1(2:5 Dchlr-4-Slphphnyl)-3-Mthyl-5-Pyrazln	29331920	6	10	5	11	1
116	Other Theophylline And Aminophylline Thr Drvtvs, Salts	29395900	6	8	14	17	35
117	Glutamic Acid	29224210	5	10	8	3	6
118	Phenazone (Antipyrin) And Its Derivatives	29331100	5	6	7	10	10
119	Choline And Its Salts	29231000	5	7	9	11	25
120	Amfetamine Benzfetamine Etc Thr Salts	29214600	5	1	1	3	3
121	Atenolol, Propronalol	29420027	5	2	8	3	10
122	Other Ergometrine Salts	29396190	4	9	3	0	1
123	Fluoro-3-(Difluoromethyl)-1-Methyl-1 H- Pyrazole-4-Carbonyl	29331991	4	44	1	0	0
124	1-Phnyl-5-Pyrazln-3-Crboxylc Acd Ethylestr	29331950	4	2	0	0	0
125	Ergotamine Tartarate	29396210	4	8	8	3	6
126	Famotidine	29420034	4	1	3	1	2
127	Benzyl Benzoate	29163120	4	7	5	8	5
128	Other Derivatives Of Malonylurea (Barbituric Acid )	29335400	4	1	15	2	3
129	Amino Salicylate	29182320	4	0	0	0	0
130	Frusemide	29225021	4	2	1	0	4
131	Aminorex, Brotizolam And Other Like Cmpnds, Salts Ther	29349100	3	0	0	12	0
132	Other Compounds Containing Quinoline/Isoquinoline Ring-Syste	29394900	3	4	0	5	5
133	Allobarbital And Othr Barbital Compnds Andits Salts	29335300	3	20	0	0	0
134	Para-Amino-Salicylic Acid	29225011	3	1	0	0	3
135	N-Methyl Taurine	29224920	3	10	11	7	9
136	0-Acetylsalicylic Acid Its Salts And Estrs	29182200	3	1	1	2	6
137	3-Carboxy (Para Slphphnyl)-5 Pyrazolone	29331910	2	0	0	1	1
138	Glucose Solid	17023020	2	3	2	4	6
139	Digoxin	29389010	2	0	1	0	0
140	Other Vitamin B2 And Its Derivatives	29362390	2	1	4	27	23
141	Ferrous Fumerate	29171940	2	2	0	0	0
142	Trimethoprim	29335920	2	10	12	14	2
143	Nifedipine	29420013	2	3	5	0	0
144	Amino Pyridine	29333911	2	2	2	18	79
145	Dextrose,Solid	17023031	1	2	2	3	5
146	Pyrazinamide(Pyrazine Carboxamide)	29242960	1	4	4	8	12
147	Cloxacilline And Its Salts	29411040	1	3	2	3	5
148	Sodium Salicylate	29182120	1	1	1	1	1
149	Timolol Maleate	29420021	1	3	1	2	3
150	Sulphamethoxazole	29359011	1	2	0	0	0
151	Quinine Alkaloids	29392010	1	2	1	0	5
152	Calcium Lactate	29181120	1	4	10	8	3
153	Ethambutol, Ethambutol Hcl	29051410	1	5	0	1	38
154	Benzocaine (Ethylpara-Amino Benzoate)	29163150	1	0	0	0	0
155	Glucose Liquid	17023010	1	1	1	1	1
156	Levorphanol (Inn) And Its Salts	29334100	0	0	0	0	0
157	Aminophylline(Cordophylin)	29335910	0	3	0	1	6
158	Tinidazole	29332910	0	0	0	1	3
159	D0mperid0ne	29225024	0	1	0	0	0
160	Chlorpheniramine Maleate	29333914	0	0	0	0	1
161	Dextropropoxyphene (Inn) And Its Salts	29221400	0	0	0	0	0
162	Digitalis Glycosides	29389020	0	0	0	0	1
163	Alpha Picoline(2-Methyl Pyridine)	29333912	0	0	0	1	0
164	Ergometrine	29396110	0	0	0	0	0
165	Glycerophosphate Acid	29199010	0	0	0	0	0
166	Dextrose Solid	17024031	0	0	0	0	0
167	Is0safr0le	29329100	0	0	0	0	0
168	Epinethrine	29379011	0	0	0	0	0
169	Mebendazole	29332930	0	0	0	0	0
170	Pseudo Ephedrine (Inn) And Its Salts	29394200	0	0	0	0	0
171	Procaine Hydrochloride	29225013	0	0	0	0	0
172	Chl0r0quine Ph0sphate	29392040	0	7	2	0	0
173	Amitryptyline Hcl	29420025	0	0	0	0	0
174	Quinine Hydrochloride	29392020	0	0	0	0	0
175	Sulphacetamide	29359015	0	0	0	0	0
176	Imipramine Hcl	29420024	0	0	0	0	0
177	Diphenoxylate Hydrochloride	29333915	0	0	0	0	0
178	3-Mthyl-1(4-Slpho-0-Toluyl-5-Pyrazoldne)	29331930	0	0	0	0	0
179	Terbutoline Sulphate	29420022	0	0	0	0	0
180	1 – Amino -4 – Methyl Piperazine (Rifaint)	29419014	0	0	0	0	0
181	1 – Amino-4methyl Piperazine	29335940	0	0	0	0	0
182	1-(M-Sulphophenyl)-3-Pyrazolone	29331960	0	0	0	0	0
183	3 Formyl Rifa S V (Rifa Int)	29419012	0	0	0	0	0
184	3-Quinuclidinol	29333500	0	0	0	0	0
185	Amfepra None(Inn), Methdone And Mormethadonesalt	29223100	0	0	0	0	0
186	Bromazepam(Inn) And Its Salt	29333314	0	0	4	5	0
187	Cocaine, Ecgonine; Salts, Esters And Other Derivatives There	29397200	0	0	1	3	1
188	D(-) Phenyl Glycin Chloride Hcl (Dpgch)	29420023	0	0	0	0	0
189	Diethyl Carbanazine Citrate	29335930	0	0	0	0	0
190	D-Or Dl-Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) And Its Derivatives	29362400	0	0	74	105	82
191	Ephedrine And Its Salts (Alkaloids Of Ephedra And Their Deri	29394100	0	0	0	0	0
192	Ethchlorvynol (Inn)	29055100	0	0	0	0	0
193	Fenproporex (Inn) And Its Salts	29263000	0	0	0	0	0
194	Fentanyl (Inn) And Its Salt	29333321	0	0	0	0	0
195	Ferric Ammonium Citrate	29181550	0	0	0	0	0
196	Heliotropine (Piperonyl Aldehyde)	29124920	0	0	0	0	0
197	Iron Glycerophosphate	29199030	0	0	0	0	0
198	Loprazolam, Mecloqualone, Methaqualone , Ziperol, Salts The	29335500	0	0	0	0	0
199	Lysergic Acid And Its Salts	29396300	0	0	0	0	0
200	Methylphenidate (Inn) And Its Salt	29333323	0	0	0	0	7
201	Metroprolol Tartrate	29181320	0	1	8	7	11
202	Nalidixic Acid	29183030	0	0	0	0	0
203	Norephedrine And Its Salts (Alkaloids Of Ephedra And Their D	29394400	0	0	1	0	0
204	Other Ergotamine Salts	29396290	0	0	0	1	1
205	Other, Of Vegetal Origin	29396900	0	0	31	33	27
206	Pethidine (Inn) And Its Salt	29333325	0	0	1	0	1
207	Pseudoephedrine (Inn) And Its Salts (Alkaloids Of Ephedra An	29394200	0	0	1	0	2
208	Safr0le	29329400	0	0	0	0	0
209	Sulphafurazole	29359012	0	0	0	0	0
210	Sulphamethiazole	29359022	0	0	0	0	0
211	Sulphamethoxypyridarine	29359021	0	0	0	0	0
212	Tetrahydrocannabinols (All Isomers)	29329500	0	0	0	0	0
Grand Total			27361	30783	33251	35422	36124