In December, the health ministries of Russia and India signed a cooperation agreement. To coordinate joint activities in healthcare, medical education, science, and pharmaceuticals, working groups will be established between them. Today, according to calculations by the Russian Ministry of Health, about 10% of all drugs registered in Russia are of Indian production. We examine whether this share will increase in this article.
A science-based approach
Indian drugs hold a significant place on the Russian pharmaceutical market. According to data from the Russian Ministry of Health, about 10% of all registered medicines in the country are currently produced in India. Overall, the share of foreign medicines is approximately 16%.
Deepening the institutional dialogue between the two countries was, therefore, a logical step. At the end of 2025, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko announced the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Russian and Indian health ministries, which took place on December 5.
Details of the agreement were explained by Assistant Health Minister Alexei Kuznetsov. He stated that special working groups would be created for the operational coordination of joint work. These groups will handle cooperation in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, as well as medical education and science. The groups will include representatives from relevant agencies of both countries.
“Particular attention is paid to promoting a healthy lifestyle, preventing non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health issues, the introduction of digital technologies in medicine, and state regulation of the circulation of medicines and medical devices,” said Alexei Kuznetsov.
The document provides for interaction on the development of medical personnel, as well as the prevention, control, and fight against infectious diseases.
Scientific cooperation is also planned, as a special section. Russia and India agreed to intensify joint research in healthcare and combine efforts in the fight against antimicrobial resistance — one of the key global threats to healthcare systems.
Mutual Benefit
According to experts interviewed by GxP News, the two countries indeed have much to offer each other. As noted by Nikolay Bespalov, Development Director of the analytical company RNC Pharma, India is a highly prominent player in the global market of APIs and finished drugs, including in complex segments like vaccine production. Specifically, some of the world’s largest vaccine manufacturers are located in India, producing drugs on a contract basis for European and American companies.
“Currently, supplies from India meet the Russian demand for the rotavirus infection prevention vaccine. Furthermore, in 2019, India supplied a large batch of measles vaccine to Russia, which enabled rapid vaccination and drastically improved morbidity rates,” the expert said.
In addition, India has been one of the key suppliers of pharmaceutical substances. In volume terms, it ranks second after China, providing a fairly wide range of APIs. This country is also the largest foreign supplier of finished drugs to the Russian market, primarily everyday medicines: anti-ulcer drugs, analgesics, cough and cold remedies, and other categories of daily use drugs.
Russia also possesses a number of unique competencies that may be of interest to Indian partners, emphasized Nikolay Bespalov. Primarily, these are high-tech medicines for treating oncological, autoimmune, and other complex diseases. Certain domestic pharmaceutical companies are already developing this export direction.
“However, a targeted state policy with a system of guarantees is needed here, as no one is waiting for Russian developments on external markets with open arms,” the expert summarized.
New Plants
Cooperation between Russia and India in healthcare offers significant opportunities for development and collaboration, believes Vladimir Kotovich, Development Director of the Advanced group of companies.
“According to industry estimates, implementing Russia’s adopted ‘Pharma-2030′ strategic program requires the creation of at least 10-15 new large production sites. India possesses all the necessary competencies, expertise, personnel, technologies, and years of experience in developing pharmaceutical production. Key directions for developing our countries’ cooperation should include collaboration in R&D, technology transfer, knowledge and experience exchange, and the supply of technological equipment and solutions in pharmaceuticals,” he emphasized.
In his opinion, cooperation will lead to an increase in pharmaceutical production involving Indian partners and companies.
Several such projects are currently known. In particular, in December 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that a large Russian-Indian pharmaceutical plant would soon appear in the Kaluga region, producing high-quality antitumor drugs. Earlier, it was also reported that the Indian company Cadila Pharmaceuticals intended to build a plant for producing medicines for diabetics and heart patients in Kuzbass. However, the corporation later postponed construction indefinitely due to the “changed financial situation.”
According to Nikolay Bespalov, an explosive growth in construction initiatives should not be expected — cooperation between the two countries is already at a high level, and it is more beneficial for Russia to provide preferences for domestic producers rather than external ones.
Nevertheless, for the Russian healthcare system, partnership with India — one of the world leaders in the production of generics and biologicals — provides an opportunity to significantly reduce the time to market for high-tech and quality medicines, diversify and reduce dependence on supplies from Western pharmaceutical companies, thereby ensuring their uninterrupted availability, believes Vladimir Kotovich.
“For India, cooperation with Russia expands access to the huge Russian market and the markets of EAEU member countries, as well as provides opportunities for joint research in biotechnology and the release of innovative drugs,” the expert says.
