On December 12th, 2025, the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers addressed Unstarred Question No. 2136 from Shri Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy and Shri Eatala Rajender regarding the "Importance of Artificial Intelligence in Pharmaceutical Industry." The question inquired whether Artificial Intelligence (AI) has reduced the cost and development time of new pharmaceutical molecules, thus creating opportunities for the country to invent new drugs globally. Anupriya Patel, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, responded that the use of AI presents an emerging opportunity for the domestic industry to enhance its global competitiveness. The pharmaceutical industry is exploring AI-enabled platforms, which has the potential to reduce costs and timeframes for early stages of drug development. The extent of such reduction has not been quantified conclusively.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers: The primary government body responsible for answering the question regarding the use of AI in the pharmaceutical industry.
Artificial Intelligence: The key technology discussed in the parliamentary question, regarding its impact on the pharmaceutical industry
Pharmaceutical Industry: The sector directly affected by the use of AI, as investigated in the parliamentary question.
Lok Sabha: The house of parliament where the unstarred question was raised.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICALS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2136
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 12th DECEMBER 2025
Importance of Artificial Intelligence in Pharmaceutical Industry
2136. Shri Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy:
Shri Eatala Rajender:
Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:
(a) whether Artificial Intelligence (AI) has reduced the cost of producing a new pharmaceutical
molecule by ten times and the development time by fifty percent creating an opportunity for
the country to invent a clutch of drugs globally, if so, the details thereof; and
(b) whether this situation is creating an opportunity for the country an opening to develop
competitive drugs globally in the near future, if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND
FERTILIZERS
(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)
(a) and (b): Use of AI represents an emerging opportunity for domestic industry to enhance its
global competitiveness. Pharmaceutical industry is exploring AI-enabled platforms for target
identification, lead optimisation, molecular screening, predictive toxicology and regulatory
intelligence, which has potential to reduce costs and timeframes for early stages of drug
development. The extent of such reduction has not been quantified conclusively.
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