India’s CDMO Strength: Powering Global Chemical Innovation

Burjis Godrej, Managing Director, Astec LifeSciences

© Astec LifeSciences

India’s manufacturing strength shines in life sciences CDMOs, especially agrochemicals, fueled by R&D and production expertise, geopolitical shifts, raw material access, and strong IP protections—making it a top chemical sourcing hub. Maharashtra-based Astec LifeSciences, a Godrej Agrovet subsidiary, excels in agrochemical and pharmaceutical ingredients/intermediates. Burjis Godrej, Executive Director at Agrovet and MD at Astec, details CDMO R&D capabilities and efficiency upgrades for global markets.

CHEManager: India’s CDMO sector is rapidly gaining global attention. What are the main factors behind India’s rise as a preferred manufacturing partner for Western chemical companies?

Burjis Godrej: Western innovators are re-evaluating supply-chain risk, IP protection and the quality of long-term partnerships. Amidst this shift in the landscape, India has certainly emerged as a preferred CDMO destination supported by its cost competitiveness, scientific talent and steadily maturing manufacturing ecosystem.
Government-led initiatives like favorable foreign investment policies, ‘Make in India’ and targeted industry incentives – have further accelerated this momentum, positioning India firmly on the global map as high quality, dependable partners.  
While China continues to hold an advantage in large-volume, off-patent molecules, global innovators are actively diversifying their sourcing strategies to reduce concentration risk and improve transparency. In doing so, India has emerged as a credible and trusted alternative, supported by stronger governance frameworks, legal robustness, and regulatory alignment with Western markets.  
Crucially, Western innovators trust Indian CDMOs more with proprietary data due to stronger IP protections. Indian firms have bolstered R&D, evolving from vendors to strategic innovation partners. As a result, India’s rise in the global CDMO ecosystem is being powered not just by cost advantages, but by a combination of trust, IP security, and lifecycle competitiveness.

How do the lessons-learned from the global supply-chain disruptions during the Covid crisis and the current geopolitical landscape, including the China+1 strategy, impact India’s position and competitiveness as a CDMO hub for Western partners?