Along with China, India is considered one of the most lucrative markets for analysis and laboratory-technology products and life-science solutions. Thanks to analytica-Anacon, which is being held in Autumn 2009, Munich International Trade Fairs will furnish companies an exhibition platform that gives them access to the Indian market. The growth potential that the Indian market has to offer speaks for itself.

Even though China – the most rapidly growing region in Asia – is frequently the focus of market activity, India has also become an interesting market, especially for the pharmaceuticals industry. According to estimates, real growth is between 6 and 8%, and India is expected to have the third largest domestic economy by the year 2020. India has 1.1 billion people, the second-largest population in the world. India maintains various trade ties with Germany, and its most important imports include machines and technology that the growing country needs. India also has significant environmental-control problems and is planning to introduce the Euro IV emissions standard in 2010.

According to Ernst & Young, India has the fourth largest market volume for pharmaceutical products. According to Frost & Sullivan, India is important to the pharmaceuticals industry because of its outsourcing activities. With expenditures estimated at 800 million US dollars and 20 years before a medication or medical device is ready to go to market, pharmaceutical companies are looking for the best solutions for their research projects. One way of dealing with the situation is outsourcing, and its share continues to increase. So-called contract research and manufacturing services (CRAMS) are profiting from this development and from market volume that Frost & Sullivan has forecast at 21.7 million US dollars in 2006.

Clinical studies are the most important aspect of developing any medication, and according to Frost & Sullivan's estimates, India has various advantages to offer in this regard, having developed from a solution that was merely cost-effective to one that also offers superior quality and speed. These clinical studies currently account for the equivalent of 75 million US dollars in volume, a figure that is expected to increase to 281 million US dollars by 2010.

Another deciding factor that speaks in favor of India is the fact that it has the largest number of medication-manufacturing systems certified by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) outside the United States. Add to that more than 10,000 pharmaceutical companies, approximately one-fourth of which can take over contract manufacturing, and more than 25 contract research organizations (CROs) with good infrastructures and experienced employees. And since the legal situation regarding patents also improved in India in 2005, one of the largest obstacles that used to face international pharmaceutical companies has disappeared, the result being that India – along with China – is now an interesting market for the pharmaceuticals industry.

India - a promising market
In a global comparison, India achieved impressive economic growth with good results in 2001. Resolute economic reforms and structural changes were among the factors that contributed to these positive results. Easier conditions for imports and exports also helped India to gain a leading position on the South Asian market.

Assuming the world economy will recover and the geopolitical situation will calm down, the forecasts are also positive for 2004.

In the midst of a huge future market - with Analytica-Anacon

India's demand for analytical instruments and laboratory technology and for biotechnology is increasing by leaps and bounds. The forecasts for the individual sectors are impressive. Growth rates of up to 50% a year and estimated sales of US$2.5 billion in biotechnology alone, growth rates of almost 30% in bioinformatics and around 12% in laboratory medicine suggest considerable export opportunities - Pharmaceutical growth of 20% is also one of the highest in the world.

Other important arguments

• Government promotion of biotechnology
  - also with tax incentives
• Entry into force of the "Patent Law" from 1/1/2005
• Privatisation of clinics
• Increased investment in goverment research laboratories
• Steady reduction of import barriers
• Promotion of international joint ventures

All these result in bright prospects