Profit From Pills

Pharma and healthcare shine as government pushes access and demand for specialised products soars

- BY NEETU CHANDRA SHARMA

TWENTY-NINE PER CENT. Yes. That's the rise in profit after tax (PAT) of India's healthcare sector in FY25. This makes it the second-fastest growing sector after nonferrous metals in the list of top 10 profitable sectors. No wonder the world's top private equity (PE) and venture capital funds are vying for a share of this fast-expanding pie. The sector has received $13 billion PE funding over last five years, representing 8–9% of the total PE activity in India, up from 2% in 2018. From Sun Pharma's billion-dollar-plus PAT to Apollo Hospitals' growing margins, the sector has emerged as one of the most important profit engines of India Inc.

RAINING PROFITS

The pharmaceutical industry was a standout performer in FY25, combining growth with resilience. The largest drug maker, Sun Pharma, posted a 13.8% rise in PAT to ₹10,980 crore. Revenues rose 8.4% to ₹52,578 crore, while operating profit jumped 20% to ₹17,237 crore, reflecting strong operational efficiency.