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Indian life sciences sector hails India-EU FTA
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Nandita Vijayasimha, Bengaluru
January 29 , 2026
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India’s life sciences sector believes that the India-EU FTA (Free Trade Agreement) could accelerate drug approvals, cut certification costs, and ease manufacturing modifications, creating a more favourable environment for Indian generics and biosimilars to strengthen their presence in the European market.
Kaushik Desai, a pharma consultant, said that it is a good move, both from India and EU point of view. However, there is no significant impact seen with reduction of pricing for India with the imported medicines from EU.
However, there will be a good advantage to healthcare sector because medical equipment pricing will be reasonable. Here hospitals importing the equipment from EU can save costs and should ensure to pass on this benefit to the patient, only then it will have meaningful outcome, he added.
As the Pharmacy of the World, India’s EU volumes in trade of medicines is not much compared to the exports shipped to the US. Now with this EU FTA, there is scope to increase footprints into the EU, for generics. Also, it provides an opportunity to aggressively innovate and develop biosimilars, which can help our companies make a presence in the European Union, Desai told Pharmabiz
Jatish N Sheth, president, Karnataka Drugs and Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (KDPMA) and director Srushti Pharmaceuticals said that it is rightly titled as the ‘mother of all deals.’
We see the India-EU FTA pact to help in the development of the large and MSME (micro small and medium enterprises) of pharmaceuticals in terms of contract development and manufacturing. This is based on the expectation following the rising demand for generics and medical devices from India in the currently valued USD$ 572 billion EU market representing 27 nations as member states, said the KDPMA president.
Sanjaya Mariwala, executive chairman and managing director, OmniActive Health Technologies pointed out that the value of the India–EU trade deal extends far beyond headline tariff reductions. India’s pharmaceutical exports to Europe currently account for just 19% of total exports, underscoring the scale of opportunity ahead rather than any structural constraint.
The India-EU trade agreement has the potential to improve access to improve access to advanced ophthalmic and diagnostic technologies at more competitive price points. Lower import barriers for high end medical devices can help hospitals accelerate adoption and improve clinical outcomes. The key now is to ensure that affordability gains ultimately translate to patients, said Dr Sri Ganesh, chairman and managing director, Nethradhama Super Speciality Eye Hospital.
For those of us in preventive healthcare, the gains from this deal go far beyond export volumes. Europe’s regulatory depth and science-led approach will facilitate stronger clinical validation, better traceability, and higher compliance standards in India. That discipline will ultimately build consumer trust in nutraceuticals, not only in Europe but across the globe.
At the same time, Europe’s ageing population and focus on wellness align naturally with India’s Ayurveda knowledge, strengths in nutrition science, and cost-efficient advanced manufacturing. This is how India moves from being a supplier to becoming a global health partner.
For a section of the Indian life sciences companies that Pharmabiz spoke stated that the EU FTA is expected to help pharma and biotech companies diversify beyond the US market. Although India’s export presence in the region remains small, multiple avenues exist to establish a stronger foothold to expand and build scale.
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