Frost & Sullivan Healthcare Practice, 4 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0DH, UK Tel: +44 (0) 20 7915 7856 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7730 3343 E-mail: katja.feick@frost.com

Received 2 August 2005.

Abstract

The global biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry is beleaguered with several challenges such as high R&D costs, increasing regulatory restraints and stagnant product pipelines. Thus, major multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies from the West are increasingly looking for low-cost suitable alternatives. Among the emerging markets, India is seen as a low-cost destination with ample opportunities available to be capitalised on without compromising on the quality. To complement the interest from international community, India is also liberalising its economy and offering increasing opportunities to invest, along with other several reforms undertaken by the government. After information technology (IT), the focus is now on biotechnology in India, as is evident with the release of recent draft of the Biotechnology Policy 2005. This paper offer insights into India's biotechnology sector and opportunities.