During an event in Hyderabad, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal urged the Indian pharmaceutical sector to significantly reduce its reliance on imported raw materials by achieving 80-90% self-sufficiency through indigenous production. He pointed out that despite India's status as the third-largest producer of pharmaceuticals globally by volume, there is ample room for growth and resilience. Agrawal stressed the importance of insulating supply chains in a geopolitically fragmented world, advocating for a strategic repositioning of India as a global hub for both quality and cost-effective pharmaceuticals. He noted that the country's pharmaceutical exports rose 5% year-on-year to $28.29 billion during April-February FY26. Agrawal also called for the development of a robust quality ecosystem to enhance global trust and emphasized the need for innovation, including participation in developing new patents, while maintaining strength in generics.