India has long and firmly established itself as the ‘pharmacy of the world’, as the country produces a fifth of all generics and provides affordable medicines to millions of people across the globe. However, India is now transitioning from copying innovative molecules to creating them. Amid the restructuring of global supply chains and strategic rapprochement with Russia, India is becoming both a battleground for fierce patent wars and a unique laboratory for joint research. How can Russian pharmaceutical companies establish intellectual property protection in a jurisdiction where the balance between the interests of pharmaceutical giants and the affordability of medicines for the population is enshrined in law? Boris Malakhov and Natalya Thotahewage analyse the key features of patenting and the prospects for technological alliances between Moscow and Delhi.
India As a Pharmaceutical Giant: From Generics to Innovation
Since the 1970s, India has been a world leader in the production of generics: 20% of the global volume of all generics and 8% of active pharmaceutical ingredients are produced here. In terms of global pharmaceutical exports, India has risen from seventh place (2019) to third (2025). In Russia, Indian medicines account for around 10% of all registered drugs.
Today, India acts both as a consumer market for foreign pharmaceutical manufacturers and as a hub offering extensive opportunities for production and research in accordance with strict international quality standards, facilitating further entry into global markets. There are around 2,050 enterprises registered in the country that are certified by the World Health Organisation under the Good Manufacturing Practice standard.
The rapid development of generic drug production in India began with the adoption of the Patents Act in 1970. From then on, only the method of manufacturing a drug could be patented; the active ingredient and composition were excluded from patent protection. This allowed Indian pharmaceutical companies to produce generics of original medicines, bypassing standard patent restrictions.
In 1995, India joined the World Trade Organisation, specifically the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), and in 2005 adapted its patent legislation to it, introducing patent protection for pharmaceutical products. It was this step, combined with economic advantages (affordable costs and a skilled workforce), that attracted large-scale international investment in the research and manufacturing sector. Today, joint ventures and strategic partnerships with local companies form the basis of foreign direct investment in Indian R&D.
Amid the restructuring of global supply chains, India is seeking not so much to cement its status as a leading exporter of generics, but rather to develop original (and more expensive) medicines. Today, the country is emerging as an international centre for research and development, boasting qualified expertise, a skilled workforce, modern technologies and many years of experience in the development of pharmaceutical production.
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