Eli Lilly Commits Over $1 Billion to Expand Manufacturing and Healthcare Innovation in India

Bengaluru – Eli Lilly announces major investment in India to boost drug manufacturing, create jobs, and enhance patient access to critical medicines.

Eli Lilly (LLY.N) is set to invest more than $1 billion in India over the coming years to expand manufacturing capabilities and strengthen the global supply of vital medicines.

The initiative aims to create a robust collaboration with local drugmakers, enhance production efficiency, and ensure greater availability of treatments for conditions including obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cancer, and autoimmune disorders.

Patrik Jonsson, president of Lilly International, highlighted the strategic importance of India in the company’s global manufacturing network.

“We are making significant investments to increase manufacturing and medicine supply capacity around the world,” he said. “India serves as a hub for capability building and innovation within our global operations.”

This investment comes alongside Eli Lilly’s successful launch of its blockbuster weight-loss drug, Mounjaro, in India earlier this year, a move that has already boosted patient awareness and access to innovative treatments.

The initiative will also include collaborations with India’s leading contract manufacturing organizations, leveraging the country’s skilled workforce to accelerate production and distribution of complex medicines such as injectables, vials, and specialty drugs.

The new projects are expected to create numerous employment opportunities across technical, scientific, and managerial roles.

Positions for engineers, chemists, analytical scientists, quality control and assurance experts, and managers will be available, contributing to local economic growth while supporting India’s position as a global pharmaceutical hub.

Additionally, Eli Lilly is establishing a manufacturing and quality facility in Hyderabad, strengthening the company’s presence beyond its existing global capability center.

This new hub will oversee contract manufacturing across India and provide technical expertise to ensure the highest standards of production.

Globally, Eli Lilly is pursuing a comprehensive expansion plan, including a $5 billion investment in a new U.S. facility in Virginia as part of a $27 billion initiative to build four additional plants over the next five years.

India’s investment complements this global strategy, reinforcing Lilly’s commitment to producing high-quality medicines closer to patients and addressing growing healthcare needs worldwide.

The investment also positions Eli Lilly to respond proactively to increasing patient demand in India. The country is projected to have the world’s second-largest obese population by 2050, making access to effective obesity treatments increasingly critical.

Early results show that sales of Mounjaro and its peer, Wegovy from Novo Nordisk, have doubled within months of their launch, signaling strong market potential.

Eli Lilly’s efforts are expected to have long-term benefits for India’s healthcare ecosystem, fostering innovation, skill development, and enhanced medicine availability.

By combining global expertise with local manufacturing talent, the company aims to support patient care, strengthen healthcare infrastructure, and contribute to India’s growing pharmaceutical sector.

With this major investment, Eli Lilly is not only expanding production capacity but also reinforcing its commitment to sustainable, high-quality healthcare solutions, benefiting patients, professionals, and the broader community across India and the world.