50+ Leading CDMO Companies in India for Pharma Sourcing

Introduction

If you have ever searched for the right CDMO partner in India, you understand how overwhelming it can feel to scroll through what appears to be a never-ending list of companies and certifications. The good news is India's pharma ecosytem is filled with capable and experienced CDMOs that range from small niche labs to large-scale manufacturing on par with the largest global pharma companies.

This quick guide will save you hours of searching! We have compiled a list of over 50 qualified Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations (CDMOs) across India known for their quality, compliance, and will establish a strong partnership with clients from other countries.
 

Why India Has So Many Great CDMO Options

India is not in this position by chance, it is by design. Over the last 20 years, the country has invested heavily in R&D infrastructure, trained chemists and engineers, and established a track record of meeting global quality standards. Currently, there are over 600 FDA-approved manufacturing sites in India, the most of any country outside of the U.S. It is no surprise one can find early formulation work all the way to commercial scale-up under one-roof at often very favorable prices compared to the West. (Source: USFDA List of Indian Approved Facilities)

If you’re exploring outsourcing, India isn’t just an option anymore — it’s the default starting point.
 

List: 50+ Top CDMO Companies in India

Below is a mix of large integrated players and niche specialists. Each of them offers something unique — whether it’s biologics, injectables, small molecules, or formulation development.

Full-Service CDMOs (Discovery to Commercial Scale)

1. Piramal Pharma Solutions
2. Jubilant Biosys
3. Syngene International
4. GVK Bio (now Aragen Life Sciences)
5. Sai Life Sciences
6. Laurus Labs
7. Dishman Carbogen Amcis
8. Suven Pharmaceuticals
9. Biocon Biologics
10. Aurobindo Pharma

Formulation Development & Manufacturing Experts

11. Granules India
12. Dr. Reddy’s Custom Pharma Services
13. Hetero Drugs
14. Strides Pharma Science
15. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (Contract Division)
16. Natco Pharma
17. MSN Laboratories
18. Torrent Pharma
19. Alembic Pharmaceuticals
20. Zydus Lifesciences

API & Intermediate Specialists

21. Divi’s Laboratories
22. SMS Lifesciences
23. Neuland Laboratories
24. Vasudha Pharma
25. Shilpa Medicare
26. Teva API India
27. Lupin Limited (API Division)
28. Solara Active Pharma Sciences
29. Aarti Drugs
30. Ipca Laboratories

Biotech, Biologics & Advanced Therapy CDMOs

31. Biocon Biologics
32. Intas Pharmaceuticals (Biotech Division)
33. Serum Institute of India
34. Panacea Biotec
35. Bharat Biotech
36. Stelis Biopharma
37. Gennova Biopharmaceuticals
38. Virchow Biotech
39. Biological E. Limited
40. Cadila Healthcare Biotech

Specialty & Emerging CDMOs

41. VAV Life Sciences
42. Anthem Biosciences
43. TCG Lifesciences
44. Richcore Lifesciences
45. Incozen Therapeutics
46. Sai Mirra Innopharm
47. Lambda Therapeutic Research
48. Encube Ethicals
49. Gufic Biosciences
50. Hikal Limited
51. Sequent Scientific
52. Akums Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Ltd
53. Biodeal Pharmaceuticals Ltd
54. Concord Biotech

(Tip: For small molecule projects, companies like Sai Life Sciences and Syngene are favorites among Western biotechs. For vaccines or biologics, Biocon and Serum Institute remain top choices.)

Global & Strategic Partners in India

International organizations with significant operations or partnerships in India:

• WuXi STA — Expanded network offering small and large molecule services.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific (Patheon) — Provides global CDMO services leveraging Indian infrastructure.
• Lonza & AGC Biologics — Active in biologics manufacturing and viral vector production through collaborations.
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Key Trends influencing CDMO Procurement Strategies in 2026

The Factors Driving Growth

The proportion that India contributes to the worldwide CDMO sector is projected to rise dramatically by 2028 and beyond due to low costs as well as a qualified labour force coupled with an abundance of financial incentives from the Government of India. In addition to diversifying to get away from China, changing conditions in the global supply chain are also creating new outsourcing possibilities for Indian CDMOs.

Innovation in Therapeutics

There has been an explosion in investment in pharmacogenomics and targeted protein therapeutics resulting in the expansion of service offerings of the world's top CDMO companies.

Regulatory Compliance & Quality Assurance

The compliance frameworks established by the food regulation agencies of the United States and Europe (i.e. USFDA, EMA, PIC/S) are among the most critical factors that pharmaceutical companies take into consideration when deciding from which CDMO to source their products. As Indian CDMOs gain and maintain compliance with these agencies, it will increase the percentages of business being done with them.

How to Choose the Right CDMO Partner in India

Before you engage with anyone, spend a matter of minutes even, determining your requirements. India has enough depth to manage nearly any project, but your needs will indicate what you value.

1. Verify track records in regulatory — USFDA, EMA, or MHRA are most prominent (Read: How Indian CDMOs Comply with USFDA, EU-GMP, and WHO-GMP Standards)
2. Confirm capacity and turnaround times — Some CDMOs are bottlenecked.
3. Determine IP policies — Indian CDMOs work with strong IP protection, but it's still prudent to review agreements carefully.
4. Communication Workflow — The best partners respond promptly, and give precise technical updates.
5. Ask for case studies or a client reference — Nothing is better than transparency.

Where These CDMOs Are Located

You’ll find CDMO clusters in key regions:

• Hyderabad: APIs, biologics, and large-scale manufacturing.
• Ahmedabad & Vadodara: Long-standing pharma manufacturing base.
• Bengaluru: Discovery, CRO/CDMO hybrids, and biotech startups.
• Pune & Mumbai: Formulation and analytical specialists.
• Visakhapatnam: API clusters, export manufacturing

Each city has strong supply chain support, experienced talent, and easy access to ports — which means smooth logistics for exports.

The Bottom Line

The Indian CDMO landscape in 2026 features a rich mix of established players, emerging innovators, global collaborators, and capacity expansion stories. Whether you’re a small biotech seeking formulation support or a global pharma scaling commercial supply, you’ll find an Indian partner ready to collaborate — often faster and more flexibly than you’d expect. To know about sourcing apis from India, read How to Source GMP-Certified APIs from India – Compliance & Supplier Guide

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

1. What is a CDMO?

A CDMO delivers outsourced development and manufacturing for pharmaceuticals. This includes both drug products, Drug Substance (API), drug product formulation, clinical trial (study) or commercial quantities of drug product manufacturing.

2. Why choose India for CDMO services?

The top reason to choose India as a CDMO provider is the low cost of labor and an abundance of highly skilled resources, the availability of well-established production facilities that meet the requirements of both the FDA and the EMA, and the rapid growth in India as a leading provider of biologicals and other complex molecules.

3. What services do Indian CDMOs offer?

Indian-based CDMOs provide a variety of services, including API manufacturing, formulation development, clinical trial (study) material supply, commercial manufacturing, sterile fill finished products, and additional advanced manufacturing technologies such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and biologics.

4. Are Indian CDMOs globally compliant?

Yes, most of the leading CDMO’s (Contract Development Manufacturing Organizations) in India are compliant with GxP (Good Practice) guidelines set forth by agencies globally, including the USFDA, the EMA, the (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) MHRA and the World Health Organization GMP guidelines.

5. Who uses Indian CDMOs?

Indian CDMOs are an excellent choice for many pharmaceutical companies including large multinational pharmaceutical manufacturers, biotechnology/biopharmaceutical startup companies, generic pharmaceutical producers and specialty pharma companies, throughout the entire development pipelines of their products.

6. How to choose a CDMO partner?

When selecting a CDMO partner, reviewing each company's regulatory approvals, therapeutic expertise, development-to-commercialization capabilities, quality record, scalability and cost competitiveness is recommended.

7. Fastest-growing CDMO segments in India?

Some of the fastest growing segments within the CDMO industry in India today are biologicals, peptides, highly potent APIs (active pharmaceutical ingredients), ADCs (antibody drug conjugates), and complex injectables.