Lok Sabha Question No. 1165 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-06
Subject: Import of Medicines
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Mr Pathan Yusuf

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1165 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06 TH FEBRUARY, 2026

## IMPORT OF MEDICINES

## 1165. MR PATHAN YUSUF:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government imports medicines from foreign countries in quantity and value (in Rs.) during the last eleven years and if so, the details thereof, year-wise;
- (b) the details of countries from which medicines are being imported along with their share in the total import of medicines; and
- (c) whether the Government maintains data on the percentage of the total domestic medicine requirement that is imported during the last eleven years and if so, the details thereof, yearwise?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) to (c): As informed by Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, medicines are imported into India from various countries. There is no specific Indian Trade Classification (Harmonised System) code for medicine. Accordingly, the data pertains to Chapter 30 of the ITC-HS classification (Pharmaceutical Products). The country-wise details, along with their respective share in the total import of medicines during the last eleven years is available as Annexure A.

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## Annexure-A

## Country-wise details of import of medicines into India during the last eleven years

(for the period 2014-15 to 2024-25)

(As referred to in reply to part (a to b) of the Question)

|                        | 2014-15         | 2014-15              | 2014-15                       |
|------------------------|-----------------|----------------------|-------------------------------|
| COUNTRY                | Quantity(Tonne) | Value (Rupees Crore) | Share in Total import (Value) |
| BRAZIL                 | 60.29           | 408.50               | 4.10                          |
| CHINAP RP              | 960.94          | 807.13               | 8.10                          |
| DENMARK                | 25.43           | 359.04               | 3.60                          |
| FRANCE                 | 129.32          | 631.05               | 6.33                          |
| GERMANY                | 610.75          | 1438.61              | 14.44                         |
| INDONESIA              | 23.79           | 714.27               | 7.17                          |
| ITALY                  | 220.51          | 547.20               | 5.49                          |
| SWITZERLAND            | 72.89           | 797.82               | 8.01                          |
| U S A                  | 1180.86         | 1843.55              | 18.51                         |
| Others (165 Countries) | 2670.265        | 2414.132332          | 24.2351426                    |
| Grand Total            | 5955.06         | 9961.29              | 100.00                        |

|                        | 2015-16         | 2015-16              | 2015-16                       |
|------------------------|-----------------|----------------------|-------------------------------|
| COUNTRY                | Quantity(Tonne) | Value (Rupees Crore) | Share in Total import (Value) |
| BRAZIL                 | 32.95           | 321.37               | 2.99                          |
| CHINAP RP              | 748.75          | 947.90               | 8.82                          |
| DENMARK                | 30.92           | 344.78               | 3.21                          |
| FRANCE                 | 146.83          | 750.89               | 6.99                          |
| GERMANY                | 846.54          | 1416.67              | 13.19                         |
| INDONESIA              | 31.16           | 858.52               | 7.99                          |
| ITALY                  | 197.82          | 490.42               | 4.57                          |
| SWITZERLAND            | 50.86           | 770.56               | 7.17                          |
| U S A                  | 958.17          | 2063.43              | 19.21                         |
| Others (165 Countries) | 3431.504        | 2777.532475          | 25.85655568                   |
| Grand Total            | 6475.50         | 10742.08             | 100.00                        |

|                        | 2016-17         | 2016-17              | 2016-17                       |
|------------------------|-----------------|----------------------|-------------------------------|
| COUNTRY                | Quantity(Tonne) | Value (Rupees Crore) | Share in Total import (Value) |
| BRAZIL                 | 41.45           | 512.29               | 4.45                          |
| CHINAP RP              | 911.38          | 898.93               | 7.81                          |
| DENMARK                | 54.30           | 482.14               | 4.19                          |
| FRANCE                 | 253.01          | 967.33               | 8.40                          |
| GERMANY                | 870.69          | 1669.12              | 14.50                         |
| INDONESIA              | 17.26           | 581.94               | 5.05                          |
| ITALY                  | 159.14          | 481.47               | 4.18                          |
| SWITZERLAND            | 112.92          | 708.72               | 6.15                          |
| U S A                  | 1212.11         | 2000.78              | 17.38                         |
| Others (165 Countries) | 4013.626        | 3212.305048          | 27.89662661                   |
| Grand Total            | 7645.88         | 11515.03             | 100.00                        |

|                        | 2017-18         | 2017-18              | 2017-18                       |
|------------------------|-----------------|----------------------|-------------------------------|
| COUNTRY                | Quantity(Tonne) | Value (Rupees Crore) | Share in Total import (Value) |
| BRAZIL                 | 46.55           | 551.55               | 4.51                          |
| CHINAP RP              | 1911.61         | 818.73               | 6.69                          |
| DENMARK                | 135.22          | 635.48               | 5.19                          |
| FRANCE                 | 232.91          | 789.80               | 6.45                          |
| GERMANY                | 1206.54         | 1457.00              | 11.90                         |
| INDONESIA              | 15.68           | 484.14               | 3.96                          |
| ITALY                  | 489.26          | 563.44               | 4.60                          |
| SWITZERLAND            | 195.17          | 856.18               | 6.99                          |
| U S A                  | 1435.53         | 2051.35              | 16.76                         |
| Others (165 Countries) | 7915.926        | 4033.445637          | 32.94993725                   |
| Grand Total            | 13584.39        | 12241.13             | 100.00                        |

|                        | 2018-19         | 2018-19              | 2018-19                       |
|------------------------|-----------------|----------------------|-------------------------------|
| COUNTRY                | Quantity(Tonne) | Value (Rupees Crore) | Share in Total import (Value) |
| BRAZIL                 | 128.80          | 414.02               | 2.84                          |
| CHINAP RP              | 2057.35         | 1038.62              | 7.12                          |
| DENMARK                | 120.62          | 460.52               | 3.16                          |
| FRANCE                 | 421.82          | 923.65               | 6.33                          |
| GERMANY                | 1345.67         | 1548.97              | 10.62                         |
| INDONESIA              | 15.18           | 450.67               | 3.09                          |
| ITALY                  | 639.71          | 546.25               | 3.75                          |
| SWITZERLAND            | 532.69          | 2115.94              | 14.51                         |
| U S A                  | 1534.78         | 1948.99              | 13.37                         |
| Others (165 Countries) | 16752.44        | 5133.509983          | 35.20652276                   |
| Grand Total            | 23549.06        | 14581.13             | 100.00                        |

|                        | 2019-20         | 2019-20              | 2019-20                       |
|------------------------|-----------------|----------------------|-------------------------------|
| COUNTRY                | Quantity(Tonne) | Value (Rupees Crore) | Share in Total import (Value) |
| BRAZIL                 | 116.89          | 557.49               | 3.37                          |
| CHINAP RP              | 2201.70         | 1172.71              | 7.09                          |
| DENMARK                | 119.65          | 599.22               | 3.62                          |
| FRANCE                 | 698.73          | 981.56               | 5.94                          |
| GERMANY                | 1447.46         | 1463.37              | 8.85                          |
| INDONESIA              | 68.33           | 670.18               | 4.05                          |
| ITALY                  | 728.97          | 745.02               | 4.51                          |
| SWITZERLAND            | 715.02          | 2206.17              | 13.35                         |
| U S A                  | 1863.12         | 2232.83              | 13.51                         |
| Others (165 Countries) | 19291.812       | 5901.816435          | 35.70287981                   |
| Grand Total            | 27251.68        | 16530.37             | 100.00                        |

|                        | 2020-21         | 2020-21              | 2020-21                       |
|------------------------|-----------------|----------------------|-------------------------------|
| COUNTRY                | Quantity(Tonne) | Value (Rupees Crore) | Share in Total import (Value) |
| BRAZIL                 | 100.21          | 620.73               | 3.28                          |
| CHINAP RP              | 1571.52         | 1544.22              | 8.16                          |
| DENMARK                | 110.64          | 667.09               | 3.52                          |
| FRANCE                 | 404.85          | 1259.85              | 6.65                          |
| GERMANY                | 952.04          | 1316.08              | 6.95                          |
| INDONESIA              | 76.64           | 463.72               | 2.45                          |
| ITALY                  | 501.05          | 419.61               | 2.22                          |
| SWITZERLAND            | 511.89          | 2492.48              | 13.16                         |
| U S A                  | 1330.25         | 2267.28              | 11.97                         |
| Others (165 Countries) | 12100.466       | 7883.299762          | 41.63489749                   |
| Grand Total            | 17659.55        | 18934.36             | 100.00                        |

|                        | 2021-22         | 2021-22              | 2021-22                       |
|------------------------|-----------------|----------------------|-------------------------------|
| COUNTRY                | Quantity(Tonne) | Value (Rupees Crore) | Share in Total import (Value) |
| BRAZIL                 | 453.38          | 606.40               | 2.37                          |
| CHINAP RP              | 2490.76         | 1579.59              | 6.17                          |
| DENMARK                | 265.13          | 906.09               | 3.54                          |
| FRANCE                 | 926.30          | 943.83               | 3.69                          |
| GERMANY                | 3038.48         | 1930.56              | 7.54                          |
| INDONESIA              | 114.77          | 595.38               | 2.33                          |
| ITALY                  | 1259.77         | 658.75               | 2.57                          |
| SWITZERLAND            | 628.72          | 2909.30              | 11.36                         |
| U S A                  | 2374.77         | 4053.17              | 15.83                         |
| Others (165 Countries) | 17919.444       | 11419.89478          | 44.60380153                   |
| Grand Total            | 29471.51        | 25602.96             | 100.00                        |

|                        | 2022-23         | 2022-23              | 2022-23                       |
|------------------------|-----------------|----------------------|-------------------------------|
| COUNTRY                | Quantity(Tonne) | Value (Rupees Crore) | Share in Total import (Value) |
| BRAZIL                 | 386.82          | 668.16               | 3.18                          |
| CHINAP RP              | 4797.11         | 1391.73              | 6.62                          |
| DENMARK                | 500.18          | 1362.71              | 6.48                          |
| FRANCE                 | 556.32          | 782.78               | 3.72                          |
| GERMANY                | 1248.48         | 1667.48              | 7.93                          |
| INDONESIA              | 154.30          | 691.03               | 3.29                          |
| ITALY                  | 820.78          | 419.25               | 1.99                          |
| SWITZERLAND            | 789.36          | 3050.47              | 14.51                         |
| U S A                  | 2165.82         | 2936.43              | 13.97                         |
| Others (165 Countries) | 17672.075       | 8052.791163          | 38.30498706                   |
| Grand Total            | 29091.24        | 21022.83             | 100.00                        |

|                        | 2023-24         | 2023-24              | 2023-24                       |
|------------------------|-----------------|----------------------|-------------------------------|
| COUNTRY                | Quantity(Tonne) | Value (Rupees Crore) | Share in Total import (Value) |
| BRAZIL                 | 345.09          | 491.09               | 2.29                          |
| CHINAP RP              | 2883.84         | 1459.18              | 6.82                          |
| DENMARK                | 506.41          | 1350.77              | 6.31                          |
| FRANCE                 | 888.81          | 789.44               | 3.69                          |
| GERMANY                | 1838.05         | 1697.78              | 7.93                          |
| INDONESIA              | 223.78          | 912.40               | 4.26                          |
| ITALY                  | 1382.48         | 543.58               | 2.54                          |
| SWITZERLAND            | 769.97          | 2697.36              | 12.60                         |
| U S A                  | 3280.18         | 3255.00              | 15.21                         |
| Others (165 Countries) | 13874.697       | 8206.138884          | 38.34151766                   |
| Grand Total            | 25993.30        | 21402.75             | 100.00                        |

|                        | 2024-25         | 2024-25              | 2024-25                       |
|------------------------|-----------------|----------------------|-------------------------------|
| COUNTRY                | Quantity(Tonne) | Value (Rupees Crore) | Share in Total import (Value) |
| BRAZIL                 | 490.38          | 637.25               | 2.53                          |
| CHINAP RP              | 2960.22         | 1623.87              | 6.44                          |
| DENMARK                | 474.78          | 1530.12              | 6.07                          |
| FRANCE                 | 885.49          | 882.42               | 3.50                          |
| GERMANY                | 2742.80         | 2066.42              | 8.19                          |
| INDONESIA              | 274.85          | 1190.74              | 4.72                          |
| ITALY                  | 2083.35         | 534.15               | 2.12                          |
| SWITZERLAND            | 5354.88         | 3232.75              | 12.82                         |
| U S A                  | 2937.09         | 3351.79              | 13.29                         |
| Others (165 Countries) | 11165.616       | 10175.04472          | 40.33788144                   |
| Grand Total            | 29369.45        | 25224.54             | 100.00                        |

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