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Strait of Hormuz Crisis Raises API Costs 200%, Hits 60% of India's 10,500 Pharma MSMEs, Threatens Jan Aushadhi Supply

Target:UPSC GS-IIIMPSCSSC GATeachingPrelims HighMains MediumStatic GK Link
14 Apr 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:60% of 10,500 pharma units are MSMEsParacetamol: ₹200 to ₹800/kgAPI costs up 200%Production drop 40-70%Packaging costs up 80-100%
Bodies:PharmexcilMadhya Pradesh Small Scale Drug Manufacturers Association
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted shipping routes, causing raw material costs for essential drugs (e.g., paracetamol from ₹200 to ₹800/kg) to spike by up to 200%.

2.Nearly 60% of India's 10,500 pharmaceutical units are MSMEs, which are especially vulnerable due to fixed-price government contracts, risking supply to schemes like Jan Aushadhi.

3.The crisis has multi-dimensional impacts: production drops of 40-70%, packaging material costs rising 80-100%, labor shortages, and heightened risks of quality shortcuts in the supply chain.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

The US-Iran conflict and closure of the Strait of Hormuz is disrupting key shipping routes, causing raw material costs for essential drugs like paracetamol to surge four-fold. This threatens the supply chain for India's pharmaceutical MSMEs, which form 60% of the sector, and could lead to price hikes and quality compromises in government programs like Jan Aushadhi.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Share of Pharma MSMEsNearly 60% of India's 10,500 units
Paracetamol Price Rise₹200/kg to ₹800/kg (4-fold)
API Cost IncreaseUp to 200%
Production Drop40% for drugs, 70% for packaging

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Share of Pharma MSMEs: Nearly 60% of India's 10,500 units
  • ›Paracetamol Price Rise: ₹200/kg to ₹800/kg (4-fold)
  • ›Target this Data: Nearly 60% of India's 10,500 pharma units are MSMEs.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil).
  • ›Target this Scheme: Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (Jan Aushadhi).

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

The Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) works under the aegis of which government ministry/department?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the impact of the Hormuz crisis on India's pharmaceutical sector:

1. The crisis has caused the cost of paracetamol raw material to increase from Rs 200 per kg to Rs 800 per kg.

2. Small and Medium manufacturers account for nearly 40% of India's pharmaceutical manufacturing units.

3. The prices of petroleum-based packaging materials have increased by 80-100%.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the article, what percentage of India's approximately 10,500 pharmaceutical units are constituted by small and medium manufacturers (MSMEs)?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is a primary reason, as highlighted in the news, making small pharmaceutical manufacturers especially vulnerable during the supply chain crisis?

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