Quality · Access · Hope
Countries

🇿🇦 #5 Export Destination

South Africa

Major pharmaceutical partnership with South Africa

$751M FY 2025–26

India ships $751M in pharmaceutical products to South Africa each year, making it the #5 export destination. The vast majority are finished medicines — drug formulations ready for dispensing.

All data from DGCIS India export records (fiscal year, April–March).
$751M
Scale
India supplies $751M in pharmaceutical products to South Africa each year — a substantial supply line of affordable medicine.
91%
Medicine
Overwhelmingly finished medicines — drug formulations account for 91% of shipments.
1.6×
Trajectory
India's pharmaceutical supply to South Africa has grown 1.6× over the past decade — strong, sustained expansion.
#5
Context
India's #5 pharmaceutical export destination — among the top five globally.
✦
Impact
Indian pharmaceutical companies have both exported to and invested directly in South Africa — building trade and operational presence.
Export Trend DGCIS FY
Pharmaceutical Composition Trend DGCIS CY 2014–2025

All pharma categories from DGCIS (487-code basket)

Category Mix — FY 2025–26 DGCIS
Medicines $683M (90.9%) Medicine Ingredients $25.7M (3.4%) Vaccines $20.3M (2.7%) Surgical & Hospital Supplies $12.6M (1.7%) Traditional & Herbal $9.7M (1.3%)
Top Products — FY 2025–26 DGCIS
Indian Pharma Investment in South Africa Source: RBI ODI Data

Total RBI-approved ODI commitments by Indian pharmaceutical companies into South Africa: $457M across 45 filings (2011-2025).