Department of Pharmaceuticals

The Department of Pharmaceuticals operates under the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India. Established on July 1, 2008, it was created to give focused attention to the growth of India's pharmaceutical industry, which ranks among the largest globally.

The department handles policy formulation, planning, development, and regulation of the pharmaceutical sector, covering drugs, pharmaceuticals, and allied industries. It supervises public sector undertakings in this space and works on policies that reinforce India's standing as the "pharmacy of the world."

Its regulatory responsibilities include drug pricing, production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes for pharmaceuticals and medical devices, and bulk drug parks aimed at cutting import dependence and strengthening domestic manufacturing. The department is based at Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi.

Pharma startups, drug manufacturers, biotech companies, and MedTech ventures benefit from its work on pharmaceutical policy, regulatory frameworks, production-linked incentives, and government procurement opportunities.