The 27th WAIPA World Investment Conference, to be held in New Delhi from 11th to 14th December, is a forum where business and world leaders, representatives of investment promotion agencies (IPAs), and other business stakeholders meet and discuss world events. The investment conference is crucial for networking, knowledge sharing, and boosting economic growth through investment opportunities in the life sciences sector. 

Nearly 40% of the global life sciences sector (market size of $6 Trillion+) lies in innovation-based products. Identifying gaps in the life sciences industry and extending opportunities for knowledge exchange through the investment forum could help increase the industry's competitiveness on a global scale.  

Besides, the WAIPA World Investment Conference could help create new investment opportunities for a robust R&D and innovation ecosystem, enabling India to be self-reliant in pharmaceuticals and medical devices.  

Medical Industry: The Sunrise Sector 

The medical devices industry is one of the sunrise sectors in India, estimated to reach $50 Bn by 2030 with a CAGR of ~16%. In the last five years, the export of medical devices has been increasing at a rate of 9.37%. India’s policy to allow 100% foreign investment under an automatic route in the medical devices sector has helped attract significant investments. The cumulative FDI inflow in medical devices was $3,228 Mn from April 2000 to September 2023, while drugs & pharmaceuticals recorded $21,581 Mn in FDI in the same period.

The government is taking proactive measures to make India a global medical technology and device hub. Under the PLI Scheme for Medical Devices with an outlay of INR 3,420 Cr, 26 projects with a combined investment of around INR 1,206 Cr have been approved, and so far, an investment of INR 716 Cr has been achieved.

Pharmaceutical Sector to Promote Economic Growth 

India’s pharmaceutical industry, with a market size of $50 Bn, is expected to reach $120-130 Bn over the next decade. During FY 2022-23, the Department of Pharmaceuticals approved 13 FDI proposals, resulting in a foreign investment inflow of INR 2,814 Cr in the brownfield projects of the pharmaceutical sector. The PLI Scheme for Pharmaceuticals is projected to boost the production of high-value products, with an outlay of INR 15,000 Cr over six years. The scheme has garnered INR 16,199 Cr in investment from the selected 55 applicants against the expected investment of INR 17,425 Cr in the pharmaceutical sector over the scheme period in the first year of implementation. Against the expected employment of 1 Lakh over the scheme period, 23000 persons have been given employment so far.

The PLI sub-scheme for Key Starting Materials (KSMs)/ Drug Intermediates (DIs)/ Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) has been designed to boost domestic manufacturing of KSMs, DIs, and APIs. The total financial outlay of the PLI scheme for APIs from FY 2020-21 to FY 2029-30 is INR 6,940 Cr. The projects initiated under the scheme are expected to generate employment for around 10,598 persons. 

Medical Value Travel  

India’s medical value travel market size stood at ~$3 Bn in 2020 and is estimated to reach $13 Bn by 2026. The medical value travel industry is registering significant growth due to the high-quality treatment options at low costs and ease of travel that India offers.  

The predominantly private-backed sector has been receiving support from the Government to make India ‘the Global Destination for Medical Tourism’. With a health workforce comprising 13,00,000+ allopathic doctors, 8,00,000+ Ayush doctors, 13,00,000+ allied health professionals, 17,00,000+ pharmacists and 34,00,000+ nurses and ANMs, India has the required manpower and treatment facilities to accommodate the growing number of medical tourists in India.  

The inbound traffic of foreign patients is crucial for the country's economic growth and for promoting other allied sectors such as tourism and hospitality. With an enhanced focus towards medical value travel, the Government can promote modern and traditional treatments, further strengthening India’s global competitiveness in the global healthcare industry.  

Latest Developments 

India’s med-tech ecosystem is growing at a formidable rate and is projected to reach a market value of $50 Bn by 2025. These startups are at the forefront of enabling innovation in healthcare, contributing to developing advanced technological solutions for enhanced healthcare. For instance, by leveraging robotics, AI and big data, these startups are broadening their capabilities to transform multiple areas of medical care. Wearables providing real-time health-related information have become popular among the masses due to their ease of usage, enabling people to monitor their vitals and take necessary interventions. Besides, the rapid emergence of telemedicine platforms, such as eSanjeevani, has helped to scale healthcare in remote parts of the country, making healthcare more accessible and affordable.  

Conclusion 

India’s pharmaceutical sector has maintained its competitiveness in the global market due to its price competitiveness and quality. Initiatives such as the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices have catalysed this sector's growth and development. India has successfully evolved in the global value chain, transitioning from being a generic drug manufacturer to introducing high-value patented drugs and new technologies like cell and gene therapy. This has a huge impact on the global healthcare and medical devices industry.  

As a result of increased investments and business opportunities explored through investment conferences such as WAIPA WIC, India’s life science sector is poised to experience substantial growth in the coming years. 

Register now for the presentation on “Investments in Life Sciences” at the 27th World Investment Conference here: https://waipa.org/wic-register/