As India cements its role as a global pharma powerhouse, the need of the hour is to embrace a broader mandate that goes beyond providing medicines to shaping the very foundation of healthcare ecosystems
Words by Karan Karayi
India’s pharmaceutical sector has often been dubbed the “pharmacy of the world,” and with good reason too. India stands as a paragon for all things pharma, and has quickly become the world’s go-to source of generic drugs thanks to its high levels of quality, plentiful production, and cost effectiveness. However, his thriving industry is not without its complexities, and we catch up with Sheetal Arora, Promoter & CEO, Mankind Pharma, to understand how a delicate balance is being struck in tapping into unprecedented opportunities and belay inherent risks.
In a world increasingly shaped by geopolitical tensions and economic fragmentation, how do you chart a growth path that balances resilience with opportunity—particularly in emerging and frontier markets?
Our growth strategy at Mankind Pharma is anchored in building a resilient and agile supply chain while unlocking value in underpenetrated markets. We are actively investing in a diversified network of suppliers across geographies and fostering local manufacturing collaborations to mitigate geopolitical risks and ensure uninterrupted product availability. Equally important is our focus on market-specific innovation which includes developing formulations that address local health burdens, including rare and orphan diseases, while maintaining affordability.
In highly cost-sensitive environments, operational cost leadership becomes a key differentiator. We also believe in forging deep-rooted partnerships with local governments to navigate complex regulatory frameworks and local distributors using their local expertise that’s in sync with Mankind Pharma’s philosophy thereby enhancing market access. By training and empowering local talent, we ensure that our operations are not only efficient but also culturally attuned and sustainable in the long run.
Innovation in pharma often centers around breakthrough science, but operational innovation can be just as impactful. How is Mankind Pharma redefining innovation across its divisions to stay competitive and accessible in a price-sensitive and complex global landscape?
We operate in a space where complexity meets opportunity offering low-competition, high-impact therapies built on the backbone of in-house, cost-effective manufacturing. Our vertically integrated structure allows us to manage input costs, ensure quality, and accelerate time to market.
Operational innovation is deeply embedded in our business model. We prioritize molecules with inherent entry barriers and invest in technologies that can scale efficiently without driving up prices. Strategic partnerships, both domestic and international, are carefully chosen to complement our innovation goals while maintaining affordability and accessibility. This approach not only supports our competitive edge in global markets but also ensures that we deliver impactful healthcare solutions where they are needed most.
Given your deep experience in managing field forces across diverse socio-cultural contexts, how do you build agile, high-performing teams that can thrive amid volatility and regional disparities?
In a business as dynamic and diverse as pharma, the fundamentals remain constant—deep market understanding, customer focus, and frontline execution. At Mankind, we prioritize the health of the business by investing in people. Through our “train the trainer” model, we build scalable learning ecosystems that empower teams across regions to adapt strategies with speed and precision.
Our marketing playbooks are designed to be global in thought but local in execution, allowing us to maintain consistency while staying relevant to local socio-cultural nuances. We focus heavily on continuous learning, performance coaching, and data-backed decision-making, ensuring our field force remains both agile and aligned to organizational goals, regardless of the external environment.
As India becomes a more prominent player in the global pharma value chain, how do you see the role of companies like Mankind evolving—not just as healthcare providers, but as enablers of social and economic progress?
As India cements its role as a global pharma powerhouse, we are embracing a broader mandate, one that goes beyond providing medicines to shaping the very foundation of healthcare ecosystems. We remain committed to making quality healthcare affordable, while simultaneously contributing to nation-building through job creation, skill development, and technology transfer.
By actively partnering with public health initiatives and participating in Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), we are helping create scalable, sustainable healthcare infrastructure. Our investments in affordable innovation and community health programs further reinforce our commitment to inclusive growth. In doing so, we are not only strengthening India’s reputation as the pharmacy of the world but also advancing global health equity.
