The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) under the ministry of pharmaceuticals have informed that as per the report of the working group on drugs and pharmaceuticals for the 12th Five Year Plan, the Indian pharmaceutical industry has grown from Rs 71,000 crore in 2007 to over Rs 100,000 crore in 2009-10 comprising Rs 62,055 crore of domestic market and exports of over Rs 42,154 crore.

According to the report, Indian pharma industry is ranked 3rd globally in volume and 14th in value, supplying around 10 percent of total global production. This also amounts to around 20 percent of total volume of global generics. Thus, every 5th tablet, capsule and injectable in generic drugs consumed anywhere in the world is manufactured in India.

Speaking on the topic, the union minister for health and family welfare, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad had in the parliament that, "Instructions have been issued from time to time to all central government hospitals and CGHS dispensaries to prescribe generic medicines to the maximum extent possible. The state governments have also been asked to instruct their doctors to prescribe generic medicines."

The export data of the pharmaceutical products as provided by the Department of Commerce for the last three years revealed that there has been a substantial increase in exports. While in the year 2009-10, it was Rs 24,570.26 crore, the exports increased to Rs 25,130.42 crore in 2010-11. Again in 2011-12, the exports registered an increase of Rs 40,218.15 crore.