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The pharmaceutical industry in India is one of the largest and most advanced among the developing countries. The industry stands third in the world in terms of volume. It ranks 14 in terms of value and is expected to grow 8 to 9 per cent annually. According to a research done by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham), the Indian pharma industry is expected to reach US$ 20 billion by 2015, making it one of the world's top 10 pharmaceuticals markets. In India, there are many small sectors, medium sectors, private limited companies and public companies that have been consistently manufacturing various medicinal products to meet the increasing demands of the people. The foreign investors can invest in Indian companies through the purchase of shares, debentures, equities, or bonds from an Indian company. Pharma industry in India is growing at a rapid pace, marked by a number of mergers and acquisitions and growth in foreign expenditure. The sector is going to be a major area of focus in the coming years as Indian medicines are increasingly becoming popular in many developed and developing countries because of the cost effectiveness and easy availability. India saw FDI inflow of US$ 341.49 million in the drugs and pharmaceuticals sector between April 2009 and February 2012. Also, the government has liberalised investments made by registered Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) under the Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS) from April 10, 2012. Earlier, these spendings required approval from the government. There are numerous ways for foreign company to enter in to an Indian market. Different types of foreign investment in India are: Green field investment is FDI when a company establishes a subsidiary in a new country and starts its own production. It involves construction of a new plant, rather than the purchase of an existing plant or firm. According to the latest rules of Reserve bank of India (RBI), FDI, up to 100 per cent, under the automatic route, is permitted for green field investments in the Indian pharmaceutical sector. Brown field investment is FDI that involves the purchase of an existing plant or firm, rather than construction of a new plant. For e.g. many host countries encourage the formation of joint ventures, as a way to build international cooperation. Joint venture is an equity and management partnership between the foreign firm and a local entity in the host market. FDI, up to 100 per cent, under the government approval route, is permitted for brown field investments in the Indian pharmaceuticals sector. Under the new rules, the overseas investor will have to seek permission from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) for any merger or acquisition. In India, the cost of setting up research and development laboratory, scientific equipments, administration costs, transportation cost, raw materials cost and licensing procedure is much less when compared to any developed countries. The main determinants of FDI in India are availability of huge natural resources, cheap labor, steady economic growth, huge benefits and concessions granted by government, increasing population and per capita income, etc. So, there are huge opportunities for foreign investment in India. About the Author: Harjeet is an Indian - born mass-market novelist, who covers the world internet related topics . He writes columns and articles for various websites and internet journals in the domain of Investments.
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foreign investment in India, pharma industry in India, NRIs, Overseas Indians, pharmaceutical industry in India, Foreign direct investment, FDI India,
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