Top 10 Pharmaceutical Companies India

A pharma company refers to a business engaged in research, development, manufacturing and sales of drugs and medicines for treating various diseases. It relies on medical data and reports of patients to help discover new drugs. 

According to Invest India, the pharma industry in India is expected to reach $65 Bn by 2024 and to $130 Bn by 2030. Want to know the major players in the Indian pharmaceutical industry? Check out this blog post to discover the top 10 pharma companies in India listed on the Indian Stock Exchanges.

Top 10 Pharmaceutical Companies India

The table below represents the largest pharma companies in India:

Let’s find out about all these pharma firms, including when they were established, their head office, operations and products.

1. Sun Pharma Limited

Founded: 1983

Head Office: Mumbai, Maharashtra

Sun Pharma Limited was established in 1983 by Dilip Shantilal Shanghvi. According to the official website of Sun Pharma, “Sun Pharma is the fourth largest specialty generic pharmaceutical company in the world with global revenues of US$ 5.4 billion.”

This pharma co in India is supported by 43 manufacturing facilities to provide high-quality, affordable medicines which are trusted by healthcare professionals and patients in over 100 countries. 

Sun Pharma Ltd. is engaged in the manufacture, development and marketing of pharma products. It offers tablets, capsules, inhalers, ointments, creams, injectables and liquids. Products from Sun Pharmaceuticals' portfolio are used to treat heart diseases, neurological, psychiatric, gastroenterological, orthopedic, and ophthalmologic diseases and disorders.

In Jan, 2024, Sun pharmaceutical acquired 100% of Libra Merger Ltd., an Israeli company based in Tel Aviv. This was Sun Pharma’s second buy in Israel after Taro Pharma.

2. Divi’s Laboratories Limited

Founded: 1990

Head Office: Hyderabad, Telangana

Divi’s Laboratories was founded by Dr. Murali K. Divi in 1990. It is one of the top 10 pharma companies in India and aims to provide top-quality pharmaceutical products around the world.

Divi’s Laboratories is one of the leading pharma companies in the world, dealing in manufacturing of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) Intermediates and Nutraceuticals. Its portfolio includes more than 160 drugs in a variety of therapeutic categories. 

It currently has six production sites and a market presence in many countries. To market its Nutra products and expand its customer base in the USA and Europe, the firm has two subsidiaries: M/s. Divis Laboratories (USA) Inc. located in the United States of America and M/s. Divi's Laboratories Europe AG situated in Switzerland.

3. Cipla Limited

Founded: 1935

Head Office: Mumbai, Maharashtra

In 1935, the pharmaceutical company Cipla was established in Mumbai by Khwaja Abdul Hamied. At the time, the company was known as Chemical, Industrial and Pharmaceutical Laboratories. In 1972, upon the founder’s death, his son Yusuf Hamied, a Cambridge-educated chemist, took over the company. In 1984, the company’s name was changed to ‘Cipla’. The company has a valid drug license.

Cipla has a vast portfolio of over 1,500 products. The business of the company has been divided into three strategic units, namely, APIs, respiratory and Cipla Global Access. Cipla's largest markets are India, Africa and North America. 

The world’s first oral iron chelator Deferiprone was invented by Cipla in 1995. In April 2024, Cipla acquired cosmetics and personal care distribution and marketing business Ivia Beaute Pvt Ltd. for Rs. 130 crore.

4. Torrent Pharmaceuticals Limited

Founded: 1959

Head Office: Ahmedabad, Gujarat

In 1959, Late Mr. U.N. Mehta founded the Torrent Group, which is now led by Mr. Sudhir Mehta and Mr. Samir Mehta. Torrent Pharmaceuticals Limited is one of the largest pharma companies in India. 

It is a leading business in the therapeutic segment of cardiovascular, central nervous system, gastro-intestinal, women healthcare, vitamins minerals nutritionals and cosmo-dermatology. In addition to this, the pharma company also has a remarkable presence in segments like diabetology, pain management, oncology, gynecology and the anti-infective segment. 

Torrent Pharma has a widespread presence in over 50 countries across the globe, with its world-class manufacturing facilities, advanced R&D capabilities and extensive domestic network. In 2013, it acquired Elder Pharma’s Indian branded business and in 2015, it acquired dermaceutical business of Zyg Pharma. 

In 2016, the API plant of the Golchem industries was acquired by Torrent Pharmaceuticals and then in 2017, women healthcare brands from Novartis, Unichem's Indian branded business along with its Sikkim Plant was acquired by the pharma leader. This helped to strengthen the positions of Torrent Pharmaceuticals in the pharma sector.

For entry in the German market, Torrent Pharma started international acquisitions in 2005 by acquiring Heumann, a German-based Pfizer Group company. In 2015, it purchased ANDA of Minocycline from Ranbaxy for the US market.

5. Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Limited

Founded: 1984

Head Office: Hyderabad, Telangana

Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories is one of the best pharma companies in India. It is based in Hyderabad, in the state of Telangana. The company was founded by Kallan Anji Reddy, who worked in the mentor institute Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited in the past. A broad range of pharma products are manufactured and marketed by Dr. Reddy Labs in India and other countries around the world.

In today’s time, Dr. Reddy has research and development centers, manufacturing units and commercial presence across multiple nations. The company serves over half a billion patients around the world and aspires to triple its reach by 2030 by touching over 1.5 billion patients.

The core businesses of Dr. Reddy laboratories are Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API), generics, branded generics, biosimilars and over-the-counter pharmaceutical products. The company works towards meeting the needs of patients in various segments, such as gastro-enterology, cardiovascular, diabetology, oncology, pain management and dermatology. 

6. Zydus Lifesciences Limited

Founded: 1952

Head Office: Ahmedabad, Gujarat

In 1952, Cadila was founded by Ramanbhai Patel, a former lecturer in the L.M. College of Pharmacy, and his business partner Indravadan Modi. In 2022, Cadila was renamed as Zydus Lifesciences. It is headquartered in Ahmedabad. 

Zydus is a global lifesciences company which is involved in discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of healthcare therapies. Some of the primary offerings of Zydus include finished dosage human formulations (generics, branded generics, and specialty formulations, including biosimilars and vaccines), APIs, animal healthcare products, and consumer wellness products. 

The products offered by Zydus are used for treatment of various diseases in therapeutic areas of cardiovascular, respiratory, cancer, inflammation, pain management, gastrointestinal, neurology and women’s health.

Zydus has a presence in 50 countries including US, South Africa, Japan, Brazil, etc. and aims to grow its presence further. Many pharmaceutical products of this pharma company have been developed to save and improve the lives of patients.

7. Lupin Limited

Founded: 1968

Head Office: Mumbai, Maharashtra

Lupin Limited was established in 1968 by Dr. Desh Bandhu Gupta (fondly called DBG). In 1979, the pharmaceutical company only had one facility in Aurangabad. Today, it has 11 state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities across India.

Lupin is a leading pharma manufacturer of APIs in India. The pharma company has superior chemistry skills, commitment to quality and cost-effective manufacturing. With its headquarters located in Mumbai,  Lupin is a leading pharmaceutical company operating in the United States, Latin America, Asia, Europe, and India. 

Its products are supplied in more than 100 markets. With a broad range of more than 1,200 items, this pharma company is dedicated to fulfilling its purpose of providing the communities it serves with access to high-quality healthcare. With over 22,000 committed professionals, Lupin has a network of 15 manufacturing facilities, 7 research centers, and a committed workforce. It is committed to improving the condition and health of patients through Lupin Diagnostics, Lupin Digital Health and Atharv Ability. 

To continuously provide value to its stakeholders, this pharma drug company prioritizes business excellence, R&D and innovation, patient centricity, quality, and compliance. Lupin has also led the way in utilizing digital technologies to meet the demands of its patients. 

8. Mankind Pharma Limited

Founded: 1991

Head Office: New Delhi, Maharashtra

Established in 1991, Mankind Pharma is an Indian multinational pharma and healthcare company, headquartered in Delhi. The company actively started its operations in 1995, with the contribution of Rajeev Juneja and Ramesh C. Juneja. The company was started with 20 employees and launched in two states within the first year of its operation. 

Mankind Pharma offers products in therapeutic areas ranging from antibiotics, to gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and dermal medications. Under the brand name Dydroboon, Mankind Pharma became the first Indian company and the only second in the world in 2019 to develop and introduce the medication Dydrogesterone, which is used in high-risk pregnancies and infertility. 

In 2024, for an enterprise value of ₹13,630 crore (US$1.6 billion), Mankind Pharma purchased a 100% ownership in Bharat Serums and Vaccines (BSV) from private equity firm Advent International.

9. Aurobindo Pharma Limited

Founded: 1986

Head Office: Hyderabad, Telangana

Aurobindo Pharma Limited was founded in 1986, by Mr. P.V. Ramprasad Reddy, Mr. K. Nityananda Reddy and a small group of dedicated professionals. This pharma company is headquartered in Hyderabad in HITEC City. When the company commenced its operations, it had a single unit which manufactured Semi-Synthetic Penicillin (SSP) at Pondicherry.

In 1992, Aurobindo Pharma became a public company and its shares were listed on the Indian stock exchanges in 1995. Apart from dominating the Semi-Synthetic Penicillin market, it is also present in important therapeutic areas like antibiotics, gastroenterology, antiretrovirals, neurosciences, and cardiology.

The 11 API/intermediate units and the 15 formulation units (located in 10 Indian states, 3 USA states, 1 Brazil state, and 1 Portugal state) of Aurobindo are built to satisfy the needs of both established and developing markets.

10. Alkem Laboratories Limited

Founded: 1973

Head Office: Mumbai, Maharashtra

Alkem Laboratories is an Indian multinational pharmaceutical company dealing in manufacturing and selling of pharmaceutical generics, formulations and nutraceuticals in India and other countries. It is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. 

The company was founded in 1973, and its first manufacturing was established in 1978 in Taloja, a town in Raigad district of Navi Mumbai city.

In 1992, Aurobindo Pharna set up its second manufacturing facility in Mandva, Gujarat. In 2005, it was converted into an API facility.  In 2009, Alkem completed the purchase of Pharmacor Pty. Ltd, an Australian generic pharmaceutical company. Then in 2015, the Aurobindo bought a US formulation manufacturing facility as it carried on with its inorganic growth. 

Alkem completed its initial public offering (IPO) and became public on the National Stock Exchange of India and the Bombay Stock Exchange in the same year. The company launched a biologic/biosimilar production facility in Pune in 2020, as well as a new formulation manufacturing unit in Indore in the same year. 

In 2023, the Eyecare division was established, marking its entry into the Ophthalmology market in India. In September, 2024, Alkem Laboratories inked a patent licensing pact with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company to commercialize Vonoprazan (a drug used in treatment of gastroduodenal ulcer) in India. Currently, this pharma company has over 500 scientists working in 5 global research and development centers. 

Conclusion

In this blog post, we provided you with the list of top 10 companies in pharmaceutical industry in India. All the mentioned companies are the largest pharma companies in India by market cap, as of 2024. They offer a multitude of pharma products and have a widespread presence across India. 

If you want to enter the Indian pharma industry, it is crucial for you to obtain a CDSCO license. For assistance in obtaining this license, connect with our CDSCO consultants at Registrationwala today!

Author: Dushyant Sharma

Hey there, I'm Dushyant Sharma. With the extensive knowledge I've gained in past 8 years, I have been creating content on various subjects such as banking, insurance, telecom, and all the important registration and licensing processes for various companies. I'm here to help everyone with my expertise in these areas through my articles.