India pharma exports drop over 23% amid West Asia conflict

Rerouting adds $3,500-$8,000 to shipments

Even though exports were up for most of the year ($28.29 billion in the first 11 months of FY26), this sudden dip is worrying.
Key transit hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi faced missile threats, so shipments had to be rerouted through places like Jeddah and Riyadh, making deliveries slower and pricier.
Shipping a single order now costs $3,500 to $8,000 extra, and even container costs for active pharmaceutical ingredients sourced from China are costing double.

All this means India's medicines are taking longer (and costing more) to reach the world right now.