Bio-Pharma SHAKTI Chemical Parks are at the centre of the government’s strategy to strengthen India’s pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturing sectors. Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers J. P. Nadda highlighted this initiative during a post-Budget webinar on “Sustaining and Strengthening Economic Growth”. The government has allocated ₹13,000 crore for the Bio-Pharma SHAKTI programme and for setting up three dedicated chemical parks, aiming to enhance India’s global competitiveness and support the vision of Viksit Bharat.

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Shift Towards Biologics and Biosimilars

India has long been known as the “pharmacy of the world” due to its large-scale production of affordable generic medicines. However, the global pharmaceutical industry is increasingly moving toward biologics and advanced therapies. By 2035, nearly 40 percent of medicines worldwide are expected to be biologics.

The minister noted that patents worth nearly 300 billion dollars are likely to expire by 2030, creating significant opportunities in the biosimilars market. To prepare for this transition, the government has launched the BioPharma Mission, with a budget allocation of ₹10,000 crore over the next five years. This initiative aims to support research, innovation, and large-scale production of biologic medicines in India.

Expanding Research Infrastructure

Strengthening the research ecosystem is another key priority under the Bio-Pharma SHAKTI initiative. The government plans to establish around 1,000 clinical trial sites across the country to boost India’s drug development and regulatory research capabilities.

Institutions such as the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) will also be strengthened. These institutes will be more closely integrated with talent development programmes to train skilled professionals for the rapidly evolving pharmaceutical industry.

Strengthening Regulatory and Industrial Ecosystems

Regulatory reforms will also play a major role in supporting innovation. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) will be further strengthened to speed up approval processes and support emerging technologies such as biosimilars and fermentation-based drug production.

A faster and more efficient regulatory framework is expected to encourage research, improve industry confidence, and attract higher investments in India’s pharmaceutical sector.

Dedicated Chemical Parks to Boost Manufacturing

A major component of the Bio-Pharma SHAKTI Chemical Parks initiative is the development of three world-class chemical parks. The government has allocated ₹3,300 crore for these parks, which will feature plug-and-play infrastructure, advanced effluent treatment systems, integrated logistics networks, and strong safety mechanisms.

India’s chemical sector currently produces output worth around ₹19.4 lakh crore but represents only about 3 percent of the global market. These new chemical parks are expected to reduce production costs by 20–40 percent through industrial symbiosis and support a circular economy model.

The government aims to increase India’s global share in the chemical sector to 5–6 percent by 2030 and achieve a total industry turnover of 1 trillion dollars by 2040. Through initiatives like Bio-Pharma SHAKTI Chemical Parks, India is positioning itself as a major global hub for pharmaceutical innovation and chemical manufacturing.