India's pharmaceutical exports in the financial year 2022-23 continued their upward trajectory, reaching $25.3 billion (approximately Rs 2,08,231 crore), according to data from the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil), a division of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Key Points:

1. Challenges in the Pharmaceutical Sector: The industry faces challenges such as a global trade slowdown in 2022, expected to continue into 2023 due to factors like the Ukraine-Russia crisis, inflation, and monetary tightening. The sector is also impacted by the global economic slowdown in key export markets.
2. Focus on Quality and Reliability: To address challenges, the Indian pharmaceutical industry is advised to focus on improving its reputation as a reliable supplier of quality-assured pharmaceutical products in the global market. Efforts are underway to streamline international regulatory processes to avoid duplication of work in approvals.
3. Initiatives for Domestic Manufacturing: Initiatives like the production-linked incentive scheme and bulk drug parks aim to enhance domestic manufacturing capabilities, with negative growth in pharmaceutical imports reported, particularly from China.
4. Composition of Exports: The majority of exports comprise drugs, formulations, and biologics, accounting for about 70-75% of total exports. Bulk drugs and drug intermediates make up 18-20%. Other exports include vaccines, Ayush and herbal products, and surgical.
5. Telangana's Significance: Telangana plays a significant role in pharmaceutical exports, contributing 20-30% of the total. The state is home to 214 USFDA-approved facilities and exports vaccines and pharmaceutical products to over 150 countries.

Additionally, initiatives such as the production-linked incentive scheme and bulk drug parks aim to boost domestic manufacturing capabilities. Importantly, there has been a negative growth in pharmaceutical imports, particularly from China.