§1Who it is for

  • Pharmaceutical manufacturers registered in India, grouped by global manufacturing revenue
  • MSME sub-group within Group C

Useful if

Reference for pharma founders; possible supplier opportunities to selected firms.

Do not spend time on it if

New applicants — window closed in 2021.

§2Eligibility

  1. Manufacturer of pharmaceutical goods registered in India.
  2. Group A: global manufacturing revenue (FY2019-20) of pharmaceutical goods ≥ ₹5,000 crore.
  3. Group B: ₹500 crore (inclusive) to ₹5,000 crore.
  4. Group C: below ₹500 crore; sub-group for MSMEs.
  5. Must achieve minimum cumulative investment per year over 5 years as prescribed.
  6. Eligible investment: new plant & machinery, equipment and utilities, R&D, transfer of technology, product registration, and building where plant & machinery is installed; investment on or after 1 Apr 2020.

§3Benefits

  • Category 1 and 2 products: 10% of incremental sales for first four years, 8% in fifth year, 6% in sixth year.
  • Category 3 products: 5%, 4%, 3%.
  • Max incentive per participant over the scheme: ₹1,000 crore (A), ₹250 crore (B), ₹50 crore (C); with additional performance incentive, never above ₹1,200 crore, ₹300 crore, ₹60 crore.

§4Norms — pattern of assistance

  1. Group allocation: A ₹11,000 crore, B ₹2,250 crore, C ₹1,750 crore; unused B can move to A.
  2. Base year FY2019-20 for incremental sales.
  3. Category 1: biopharmaceuticals, complex generics, patented / near-patent-expiry drugs, cell/gene therapy, orphan drugs, special empty capsules, complex excipients, phyto-pharmaceuticals. Category 2: APIs/KSMs/DIs. Category 3: repurposed, auto-immune, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-infective, cardiovascular, psychotropic, anti-retroviral drugs, IVDs, and others.
  4. SIDBI is the Project Management Agency.

§5Documents

Not published

The guideline does not list the documents. Ask the portal or bank before you apply — we do not make up lists.

§6How to apply

  1. 1

    Window closed (2021). Portal was https://pli-pharma.udyamimitra.in run by SIDBI.

§7Pros and cons

Merits

  • Separate Group C with MSME sub-group (PIB 2021).
  • PIB (Dec 2025): cumulative investment ₹40,890 crore against ₹17,275 crore committed; 191 APIs/KSMs/DIs made in India for the first time.

Demerits

  • Only 55 applicants could be selected (PIB 2021).
  • Group C cap of ₹50 crore per participant is small next to Group A's ₹1,000 crore.
  • PLI pays only on incremental sales over a base year, so a new or small firm with no base-year sales or below the thresholds gets nothing (scheme design, PIB 2026).

→Related schemes

Need help with PLI Pharma?

Eligibility check, DPR and application file — ask us on WhatsApp.

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Our interestHelp is our paid service. You can also apply for the scheme yourself.

Sources

  1. PIB Cabinet, 24 Feb 2021: PLI Scheme for Pharmaceuticals
  2. PIB, 1 Jun 2021: Operational guidelines for PLI Pharmaceuticals; applications invited
  3. PIB, 7 Aug 2026: Lok Sabha reply — PLI for pharmaceutical sectors (disbursement till March 2026)
  4. PIB, 2 Dec 2025: PLI for pharmaceutical and medical devices (status)
  5. PIB, 20 Feb 2026: PLI with ₹1.91 lakh crore outlay, 836 applications, 14 sectors

Checked on 18 October 2026. For information only — confirm with the department or bank. Spotted a mistake? Report it.