**Executive Summary**
This document lists Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) for which imports from China represented 70% or more of India's total imports in FY2023-24 and FY2024-25. It details the government's efforts through schemes like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) for Bulk Drugs to promote domestic manufacturing of these critical APIs and reduce import dependence. The information was provided in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha by the Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Import Dependence on China:**
* Annexure-I lists APIs where China accounted for 70% or more of India's total imports in FY2023-24 and FY2024-25, along with their import values.
* **Domestic Manufacturing Promotion:**
* The government has implemented policy interventions, including the Scheme for Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks and PLI Schemes, to foster an ecosystem for domestic API manufacturing.
* Under the PLI Scheme for Bulk Drugs, domestic manufacturing capacity of approximately 56,800 MT per annum has been established for 28 out of 41 identified critical products.
* As of December 2025, 38 greenfield projects covering 28 notified products have been commissioned under the scheme.
* **Scheme Achievements (as of December 2025):**
* 33 out of 41 notified products under the PLI Scheme for Bulk Drugs have been subscribed.
* 48 greenfield projects covering these 33 products have been approved, with an aggregate committed investment of ₹4,329.95 crore and an actual investment of ₹4,814.1 crore achieved.
* The commissioning of 38 projects has resulted in the establishment of a domestic manufacturing capacity of approximately 56,800 MT per annum for identified critical products.
* Cumulative sales reported are ₹2,720 crore, including exports of ₹527.96 crore, avoiding imports worth ₹2,192.04 crore.
* The scheme has generated employment for 4,896 persons.
* A total incentive of ₹54.81 crore has been disbursed to eligible applicants.
* **List of Critical Products:**
* Annexure-II provides a list of 28 products manufactured under the scheme, including Penicillin G, Clavulanic Acid, Rifampicin, and Vitamin B6, among others.
**Impact Analysis**
* **API Manufacturers:**
* **Impact:** The PLI Scheme aims to increase domestic production capacity, potentially reducing reliance on imports and creating export opportunities.
* **Action Required:** Continue to leverage the PLI scheme benefits and invest in scaling up manufacturing capabilities for identified critical APIs.
* **Formulation Industry:**
* **Impact:** Increased domestic availability of APIs could lead to more stable supply chains, potentially reduced costs, and greater certainty in sourcing raw materials for drug formulation.
* **Action Required:** Monitor domestic API availability and consider sourcing from local manufacturers to diversify supply chains.
* **Government Agencies (Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Department of Pharmaceuticals):**
* **Impact:** The success of the PLI scheme in reducing import dependence on critical APIs will be a key performance indicator.
* **Action Required:** Continue to monitor the implementation of the PLI scheme, assess its effectiveness, and make necessary adjustments.
* **Consumers:**
* **Impact:** Improved domestic manufacturing of APIs could contribute to greater availability and potentially more affordable medicines in the long term.
* **Action Required:** No direct action required; this impact is indirect through the industry.
Key Entities Referenced
PLI Scheme for Bulk Drugs: A government scheme aimed at promoting the domestic manufacturing of critical Key Starting Materials (KSMs), Drug Intermediates (DIs), and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs).
Scheme for Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks: A policy intervention facilitating the creation of an ecosystem for domestic manufacturing of bulk drugs.
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs): The core subject of the policy, referring to the raw materials used in drug formulations.
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers: The governing ministry responsible for the policies and initiatives mentioned.
Department of Pharmaceuticals: A department under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, directly involved in the policy's implementation.
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers :
Department of Pharmaceuticals
APIs Imports from China
Posted On: 10 MAR 2026 1:31PM by PIB Delhi
The list of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) for which imports from China accounted for 70
percent or more of India’s total imports in FY2023-24 and FY2024-25, along with the corresponding
import values is placed at Annexure-I.
The domestic demand for high-dependence APIs is dynamic and driven by the requirements of the
formulation industry for both domestic consumption and exports. Installed capacity for these APIs is
primarily within the private sector. Since 2020, through various policy interventions such as the Scheme
for Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks and the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Schemes, the Government
has facilitated the creation of an ecosystem for domestic manufacturing. Under the PLI Scheme for
promotion of domestic manufacturing of critical Key Starting Materials (KSMs) /Drug Intermediates
(DIs) and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) in India (commonly known as “PLI Scheme for Bulk
Drugs’), domestic manufacturing capacity of approximately 56,800 MT per annum has been established
for 28 out of 41 identified critical products. The list of these 28 products is placed at Annexure-II. As of
December 2025, 38 greenfield projects covering 28 notified products have been commissioned under the
Scheme.
Out of 41 products notified under PLI Scheme for Bulk Drugs, 33 products have been subscribed. A total
of 48 greenfield projects has been approved under the Scheme, covering these 33 notified products, with
an aggregate committed investment of ₹4,329.95 crore. Against this commitment, actual investment of
₹4,814.1 crore has already been achieved.
As of December 2025, 38 projects (out of 48 approved projects) covering 28 products (out of 33
subscribed products) have been commissioned, resulting in establishment of domestic manufacturing
capacity of approximately 56,800 MT per annum for identified critical products. The scheme has resulted
in cumulative sales of ₹2,720 crore reported till December 2025, including exports of ₹527.96 crore,
thereby avoiding imports worth ₹2,192.04 crore. The Scheme has also generated employment for 4,896
employment persons till December, 2025
As of December 2025, a total incentive of ₹54.81 crore has been disbursed to the eligible applicants.
Annexure-I
HS DESCRIPTION Import China Import Chi
CODE from Dependence from Depen
China (in %) China (in
FY2023- FY2023-24 FY2024- FY20
24 Value 25 Value
(in USD (in USD
Mn) Mn)29419013 RIFA OR RIFA S SODIUM (RIFAINT) 8.37 100.00 15.44 100.00
29214236 METHYL DOPA (L-ALPHA METHYL-3, 13.75 100.00 12.16 100.00
4-DIHYDROXYPHENYLA
29420026 CYSTEANUNE HCL 2.49 100.00 2.85 100.00
29359014 SULPHADIMIDINE 1.76 100.00 1.44 100.00
29359024 SULPHAMIDE 1.15 100.00 0.83 100.00
29419060 NORFLOXACIN AND ITS SALTS 3.60 99.99 12.31 99.90
29124940 3,4,5-TRIMETHOXY-BENZALDEHYEDE 1.09 100.00 0.40 99.88
29412010 STREPTOMYCINS 2.18 99.91 4.64 99.86
29419040 GENTAMYCIN AND ITS SALTS 8.04 99.86 8.51 99.72
29413020 TETRACYCLINE/OXYTETRA - 10.75 99.84 11.40 99.65
CYCLINE AND HR SALTS
29420016 D (-) PARA HYDROXY DANES SALTS 21.02 99.91 27.20 99.54
29242910 ACETANILIDE 12.26 99.85 13.38 99.47
29420011 CEFADROXIL 1.08 99.21 1.69 99.05
29171970 ETH0XY METHYLENE MAL0NATE, 19.77 99.93 19.34 98.13
DIETHYL MAL0NATE
29420015 DANES SALT OF D (-) PHENYL 18.07 98.06 19.03 100.00
GLYCINE
29335200 MALONYLUREA (BARBITURIC ACID) 5.36 98.00 4.58 100.00
AND ITS SALS
29419050 NEOMYCIN 3.69 99.67 2.48 97.48
29224910 AMINO ACETIC ACID (GLYCINE) 13.83 97.66 25.49 99.25
29419030 CIPROFLOXACINE AND ITS SALTS 8.16 97.98 9.33 98.0229262000 1- 76.58 97.95 70.45 97.94
CYANOGUANIDINE(DICYANDIAMIDE)
29414000 CHLORAMPHENICOL AND ITS 3.08 97.81 2.42 96.99
DERIVATIVES SALTS THEREOF
29379019 OTHER 4.68 97.33 5.71 95.16
29372100 CORTISONE, HYDROCORTISONE, 41.12 96.48 37.67 95.41
PREDNISONE (DEHY-DROCORTISONE)
AND F
29182110 SALICYLIC ACID 23.88 95.22 24.54 96.16
29415000 ERTHROMYCIN AND ITS 153.75 93.04 166.31 97.65
DERIVATIVES SALTS THEREOF
29411050 6 – APA 396.51 94.08 407.64 95.92
29333100 PYRIDINE AND ITS SALTS 29.13 93.64 22.89 94.95
29362610 VITAMIN B12 (CYNOCOBALAMIN) 31.32 92.62 25.33 93.82
29332920 METRONIDAZOLE METRONIDIAZOLE 8.14 94.46 10.04 91.73
BENZOATE
29362290 OTHER VITAMIN B1I AND ITS 3.03 95.47 3.08 88.85
DRIVATIVES
29420032 CIMETIDINE 0.85 98.49 0.55 84.48
29420012 IBUPROFANE 10.48 99.34 6.43 80.73
29411030 AMOXYCILLINE AND ITS SALTS 42.22 90.00 37.96 88.29
29419011 RIFAMPICIN 8.14 89.17 39.61 89.01
29419090 OTHER ANTIBIOTICS 730.01 88.39 694.26 88.15
29411020 AMPICILLINE AND ITS SALTS 0.71 78.41 0.38 97.33
29224100 LYSINE AND ITS ESTERS SALTS 93.40 85.32 120.82 89.13
THEREOF29333916 BETA PIC0LINE (3-METHYL 10.86 82.71 13.85 90.61
PYRIDINE)
29362700 VITAMIN C (ASCORBIC ACID) AND 21.48 82.45 22.35 87.76
ITS DERIVATIVES
29411010 PENICILLINS AND ITS SALTS 192.15 77.03 215.51 92.87
29362210 VITAMIN B1I (THIAMINE, ANEURINE) 10.18 85.32 15.59 81.77
AND ITS SALT
29332990 OTHER COMPNDS CNTNG AN 64.00 81.69 66.36 82.33
UNFUSED IMIDAZOLE RING (W/N
HYDROGENATED
29331999 OTHER 223.72 76.14 139.67 79.63
29420090 OTHER DILOXANIDE FUROATE, 250.40 75.29 262.11 78.96
CIMETIDINE, FAMOTIDINE NES
29362500 VITAMIN B6 AND ITS DERIVATIVES 7.69 63.50 12.83 88.28
29333918 LUTIDINE (DIMETHYLE PYRIDINE) 0.03 50.00 2.98 100.00
29183030 NALIDIXIC ACID 0.05 50.00 0.72 100.00
29263000 FENPROPOREX (INN) AND ITS SALTS 0.00 50.00 0.00 100.00
29241100 MEPROBAMATE (INN) 0.00 50.00 2.03 100.00
29331920 1(2:5 DCHLR-4-SLPHPHNYL)-3- 2.25 50.00 0.16 99.43
METHYL-5-PYRAZLN
29331940 PHENYL-METHYL PYRAZOLONE 0.00 50.00 0.82 99.29
29335400 OTHER DERIVATIVES OF 0.15 49.83 0.31 99.43
MALONYLUREA (BARBITURIC ACID)
29181610 CALCIUM GLUCONATE 0.01 48.64 9.05 99.86
29331980 OXYPHENBUTAZONE 0.00 50.00 0.01 97.90
29371100 SOMATOTROPIN, ITS DERIVATIVES 0.01 50.00 0.01 96.79
AND STRUCTURAL ANALOGUES29215120 M-PHENYLENEDIAMINE (M- 0.04 46.74 4.02 98.72
DIAMINOBENZENE)
29335910 AMINOPHYLLINE(CORDOPHYLIN) 0.08 49.99 0.76 95.44
29372900 OTHR STEROIDAL HORMONES THEIR 101.22 77.00 73.98 68.21
DERIVATIVES AND STRUCTURAL
ANALOGUES
29331970 ANALGIN 0.75 46.67 4.33 96.29
29333929 Other 13.84 75.51 11.71 66.48
29215110 O- PHENYLENEDIAMINE 1.18 47.56 14.83 94.05
29225015 L-TYROSINE(P- 0.01 50.00 2.64 91.13
HYDROXYPHENYLAMINE)
29335940 1 - AMINO-4METHYL PIPERAZINE 0.01 49.73 0.01 90.64
29362950 VITAMIN H (BI0LIN) 1.19 67.40 0.93 71.22
29331910 3-CARBOXY (PARA SLPHPHNYL)-5 0.10 49.05 0.13 89.54
PYRAZOLONE
29379020 AMINO-ACID DERIVATIVES 1.97 55.67 9.07 82.29
29395900 OTHER THEOPHYLLINE AND 1.52 63.12 3.08 73.86
AMINOPHYLLINE THEIR
DERIVATIVES, SALTS
29163400 PHENYLACETIC ACID AND ITS SALTS 0.00 29.57 5.79 99.94
29225021 FRUSEMIDE 0.02 40.10 0.36 85.43
29329300 PIPERAN0L 0.11 28.53 2.53 92.62
29333200 PIPERIDINE AND ITS SALTS 0.08 13.84 6.80 96.04
29331100 PHENAZONE (ANTIPYRIN) AND ITS 0.00 10.41 1.22 98.47
DERIVATIVES
29359011 SULPHAMETHOXAZOLE 0.02 25.14 0.02 82.7229332910 TINIDAZOLE 0.00 9.76 0.33 96.80
29224920 N-METHYL TAURINE 0.08 23.49 1.00 82.32
29181120 CALCIUM LACTATE 0.00 2.11 0.37 98.86
29331960 1-(M-SULPHOPHENYL)-3- 0.00 0.00 0.28 100.00
PYRAZOLONE
29335920 TRIMETHOPRIM 0.00 0.01 0.25 99.65
29332950 ALBENDAZOLE 0.01 0.44 1.53 98.94
29224210 GLUTAMIC ACID 0.00 15.19 0.59 83.50
29154010 MONOCHLOROACETIC ACID, THEIR 0.13 12.91 1.96 85.75
SALTS AND ESTERS
29419014 1 - AMINO -4 - METHYL PIPERAZINE 0.00 0.00 0.07 98.01
(RIFAINT)
29095010 GUAIACOL 0.00 2.26 1.87 95.51
29225013 PROCAINE HYDROCHLORIDE 0.00 0.00 0.02 96.46
29359013 SULPHADIAZINE 0.00 0.44 0.61 88.08
29231000 CHOLINE AND ITS SALTS 0.13 9.29 2.31 78.93
29051410 ETHAMBUTOL, ETHAMBUTOL 0.00 2.27 3.70 82.23
HYDROCHLORIDE
29333911 AMINO PYRIDINE 0.03 2.07 7.51 80.22
29182310 METHYL SALICYLATE 0.00 0.01 1.11 81.07
29332100 HYDANTOIN AND ITS DERIVATIVES 0.00 0.02 2.86 71.69
(Source: DGCI&S)
Annexure-II
S. No. Name of product being manufactured
1 Penicillin G2 Clavulanic Acid
3 Rifampicin
4 Dexamethasone
5 Prednisolone
6 1,1 Cyclohexane Diacetic Acid (CDA)
7 Dicyandiamide (DCDA)
8 Para Amino Phenol
9 Aspirin
10 Diclofenac Sodium
11 Losartan
12 Olmesartan
13 Sulfadiazine
14 Telmisartan
15 Artesunate
16 Atorvastatin
17 Carbamazepine
18 Oxcarbazepine
19 Ofloxacin
20 Norfloxacin
21 Vitamin B6
22 Carbidopa
23 Levodopa24 Levofloxacin
25 Acyclovir
26 Levetiracetam
27 Lopinavir
28 Valsartan
This information was given by Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Smt. Anupriya Patel, in a
written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
*****
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