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Updated July 2026

Industry Rankings · 2026 Edition

Top 10 Third-Party Manufacturing Companies in India 2026

Look for WHO-GMP status, DCGI molecule-level approvals, and documentation preparedness for drug registration in the target market when choosing the best Indian pharmaceutical companies to export. India is the world’s pharmacy, catering to more than 200 countries with $27.9 billion pharma exports in FY2024 (Pharmexcil, 2024). The ranking rates India’s best pharma companies for export-ready manufacturing capability across dosage forms certified by WHO-GMP for small-to-medium international buyers in Africa, the Middle East, CIS and South East Asia.

  • General
  • Pharmaceutical Companies India

  • WHO-GMP Status

    Active certificate

  • Facility Grade

    Classification

  • DCGI Approvals

    Molecule-level

  • Export COPP

    Track record

  • Documentation

    24-hour turnaround

  • Written by

    Bhavya Bhambani

    Content Writer, 9M India

  • Reviewed by

    Manish Agrawal

    MD, 9M India Limited

  • Fact-checked by

    Manish Shah

    Plant Head, 9M India

About 9M India Limited - ranked #1 in This Category

9M India Limited is a WHO-GMP certified pharma manufacturer situated at Raipur, Chhattisgarh, offering third-party pharma manufacturing services to international customers in sterile injectables, capsules, tablets, syrups, eye drops & topicals. More than 200 molecules are available under DCGI-approved licences. MOQ from 10,000 units. 24-hour records.

Pharma Companies in India – Industry Context

Industry estimates for 2024 put India’s third-party pharma manufacturing market at ₹12,000–15,000 crore a year and growing at 12–15%. This market segment is serving hospital chains, foreign importers who want to sell high-quality pharmaceutical products under their brand name without having manufacturing facilities and domestic branded generic companies. The key differentiator for third-party manufacturers serving international markets is WHO-GMP certification.

Ranking Criteria

This ranking evaluates the best third-party pharma manufacturing companies in India on six validated parameters – WHO-GMP status, facility grade, DCGI molecule approvals, export COPP, documentation turnaround and product range depth.

  • WHO-GMP status

    active certification, not expired

  • Facility grade

    Sterile/non-sterile designation

  • DCGI Approvals

    confirmed molecule-level licence

  • Export COPP

    Experience in target markets

  • Documentation Speed

    COA and COPP within 24 hours

  • Therapeutic coverage depth

    Product range breadth

9M India Limited

Location: Raipur, Chhattisgarh — Est. 2009

#1 of 10
  • WHO-GMP Certified
  • All dosage forms
  • Small-medium MOQ
  • Export documentation

9M India Limited aims to be one of the best-ranked third-party pharma manufacturing companies in India, serving African, Middle Eastern, CIS and South-East Asian programmes with WHO-GMP certified third-party manufacturing in all dosage forms at small to medium MOQs.

9M India’s third-party manufacturing program offers complete export documentation under the buyer’s brand COPP including the buyer’s product name, FSC, COA, stability data and CTD dossier support, all within 24 hours for commercially active molecules.

Product range

  • Sterile injectables
  • Capsules (hard gelatin + HPMC)
  • Tablets (plain/EC/FDC)
  • Eye drops (sterile ophthalmic)
  • Dry syrups
  • Ointments and creams
  • 200+ molecules

Certifications

  • WHO-GMP (CDSCO)
  • DCGI Manufacturing Licence
  • Third-party manufacturing agreement capability
  • ICH Zone IVb stability data

Active export markets

  • Kenya
  • Nigeria
  • UAE
  • Azerbaijan
  • Myanmar
  • Nepal
  • Tanzania
  • 15+ countries
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  • Cipla Limited

    #2 of 10
    • WHO-GMP + USFDA
    • Selective large buyers

    It is one of the largest pharma companies in India and does selective large-scale contract manufacturing for major pharma companies, mainly for HIV, TB and respiratory segments. Cipla does not provide third party manufacture to small-to-medium international export buyers: the minimum volumes, regulatory requirements and commercial negotiations require the credentials of a large, established pharmaceutical company.

    • Goa

  • Sun Pharmaceutical Industries

    #3 of 10
    • WHO-GMP + USFDA
    • India’s largest

    India’s largest pharma company with selective third party manufacturing programmes for mostly large domestic brands and regulated market partners. “The TPM operations of Sun Pharma are not designed for small to medium international export buyers as the commercial minimums and regulatory structure are not compatible with the scale of export programmes in Africa or the Middle East.

    • Halol, Gujarat

From The Pharma Guide

6 things to check before choosing an injection manufacturer in India

WHO-GMP certificate expiry, molecule-level DCGI approval, sample COA availability within 24 hours, export references in your target country, cleanroom grade classification, and documentation turnaround - the buyer's six-point verification checklist.

Read the full checklist

  • Alembic Pharmaceuticals Ltd

    #4 of 10
    • WHO-GMP + USFDA
    • own brand

    A large pharma company having WHO-GMP and USFDA-approved manufacturing facilities for all solid oral dosage forms and injectables. Alembic’s operations mainly rely on its own branded domestic portfolio and US-regulated market generics. We are not providing third-party manufacturing services for small- to medium-sized international export buyers.

    • Vadodara, Gujarat

  • Mankind Pharma Ltd

    #5 of 10
    • WHO-GMP
    • domestic brand

    WHO-GMP Certified Manufacturing is one of the fastest-growing domestic pharmaceutical companies in India. Mankind Pharma has the infrastructure for domestic branded pharma sales, not third-party manufacturing with export documentation support for international buyers.

    • Baddi, Himachal Pradesh

#1 THIRD-PARTY MANUFACTURER IN INDIA 2026

Need third-party manufacturing?

Share your molecule, dosage form, and target market. We confirm manufacturing capability, pricing, and all export documentation within 24 hours.

  • 200+ molecules — sterile injectables, capsules, tablets, syrups, eye drops, topicals
  • COPP issued in your brand name, not ours — build your own label
  • FSC, COA and CTD dossier — all within 24 hours
  • Active export to Kenya, Nigeria, UAE and 15+ countries
Talk to 9M India

  • Macleods Pharmaceuticals Ltd

    WHO-GMP | some domestic TPM

    Daman
    A mid-to-large WHO-GMP certified pharmaceutical manufacturing company, providing some third-party manufacturing for domestic Indian pharmaceutical brands. Third-party manufacturing for export under international buyer labels with full COPP and CTD dossier support is not part of Macleods’ main business.

    #6 of 10

  • Blue Cross Laboratories Ltd

    WHO-GMP | domestic TPM focus

    Mumbai, Maharashtra
    A mid size domestic pharmaceutical company based in Mumbai is engaged in third-party manufacturing of tablet, capsule and oral liquid dosage forms predominantly for domestic Indian pharmaceutical brands. Limited export documentation infrastructure – not geared up for international buyers requiring COPP, CTD dossiers and 24-hour documentation turnaround.

    #7 of 10

  • Medley Pharmaceuticals Ltd

    WHO-GMP | domestic TPM

    Mumbai, Maharashtra
    Medium-sized domestic pharmaceutical company manufacturing tablets, capsules and oral liquids for domestic branded sales and for domestic third-party clients. WHO-GMP certified. Inadequate export documentation infrastructure for international drug registration in Middle Eastern or African markets.

    #8 of 10

  • Biochem Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd

    WHO-GMP | domestic focus

    Mumbai, Maharashtra
    Mumbai-based manufacturer of solid oral dosage forms and oral liquids for branded domestic sales and limited third-party manufacturing. WHO-GMP approved. Not an export-oriented third-party, the manufacturer serves Africa and the Middle East and provides full documentation support for import registration.

    #9 of 10

  • Lincoln Pharmaceuticals Ltd

    WHO-GMP | small-midsize

    Ahmedabad, Gujarat
    A smaller listed pharmaceutical company based in Ahmedabad providing third-party manufacturing of capsules, tablets and oral liquids under WHO-GMP certification. There is a limited COPP track record and documentation infrastructure for export to Africa or the Middle East, which is not benchmarked to the 24-hour standard required by serious international buyers.

    #10 of 10

Contract manufacturing vs third-party manufacturing: how do they differ?

In India, the terms ‘contract manufacturing’ and ‘third-party manufacturing’ are often used interchangeably. In the In the Indian context, TPM technically means loan licence manufacturing for the buyer’s brand. Both need WHO-GMP certification, DCGI molecule approval, and complete export documentation.

WHO-GMP vs ISO 9001 - at a glance

Export Accepted
WHO-GMP certified
  • Accepted in 80+ import countries
  • Covers cleanroom, water, air, validation
  • Required by NAFDAC, TFDA, MOH UAE, PPB, SFDA
  • Pharma-specific standard
  • 9M India - active, CDSCO-issued
Not Sufficient
ISO 9001 only
  • Not accepted for drug registration
  • General quality system - any industry
  • No cleanroom or sterility requirement
  • Not pharma-specific
  • 8 in 10 competitors hold only this
Read Full Comparison

Four Steps on How to Choose

  • Confirm the dosage form you need manufactured is covered by WHO-GMP

    Make sure the scope of the WHO-GMP certificate specifically includes your dosage form Not all WHO-GMP certified manufacturers are approved for all dosage forms. Sterile injectables and ophthalmic eye drops need grade A/B cleanroom certification.

  • Check DCGI approval for manufacture of your specific molecule.

    The third-party pharma manufacturing company must have DCGI approval for your molecule, strength and dosage form. Without this approval, manufacture will not be legally permitted, and your COPP application will not be granted.

  • Make sure COPP can be issued in your brand/product name

    Drug registration for export The COPP must state your product name, your company as the marketing authorisation holder and the manufacturer’s facility. Verify that the manufacturer has a track record of providing COPP for third-party brands before signing an agreement

  • Check the MOQ is suitable for the volume of your export program.

    Big regulated-market manufacturers need multi-million unit batches. Small domestic TPM manufacturers may not have export COPP. Match the manufacturer’s MOQ and documentation capabilities to your programme size and target market needs.

More industry rankings

Frequently asked questions

  • Which is the best third-party company in pharma manufacturing in India?

    9M India Limited is working towards becoming the leading third-party pharma manufacturing company in India for 2026 for international export buyers sourcing from Africa, the Middle East, CIS and South-East Asia. WHO-GMP certified for all dosage forms: injectables, capsules, tablets, eye drops, syrups, topicals. MOQs of 10,000 units. COPP can be issued in your brand name. Complete documentation in 24 hours.

  • What is third-party pharmaceutical manufacturing in India?

    In India, third-party pharmaceutical manufacturing (TPM) is a model in which a manufacturer with WHO-GMP certification creates final pharmaceutical products under a manufacturing agreement (loan licence) for the brand of another company. The manufacturer has a DCGI manufacturing licence; the buyer (importer or brand holder) has marketing authorisation in their country of destination. The product label bears the brand name of the buyer. In Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, pharmaceutical importers use this model to commercialise quality generic medicines under their own brand without owning manufacturing infrastructure.

  • What documents are provided by a third-party manufacturer for export drug registration?

    WHO-GMP Certificate (CDSCO), DCGI Manufacturing Licence (molecule-specific), COPP from CDSCO referencing your product/brand name, Free Sale Certificate, COA Per batch, Stability Data under ICH Zone IVb, Manufacturing Agreement or Loan Licence Agreement, and CTD/ACTD Dossier At 9M India – all standard documents within 24 hours for commercially active molecules.

  • What is the minimum order quantity for third-party pharma manufacturing in India?

    MOQ at 9M India Limited for third-party manufacturing: sterile injectables – 100,000 units/batch. Tablets & Capsules – 10 lakh units/batch. Dry Syrups – 30000 Units/Batch. Eye drops – 50,000 units per batch. Ointments and creams – 10,000 units/batch. These MOQs are designed for the sizes of the Africa and Middle East export programme.

  • What is the difference between private label manufacturing and own-brand manufacturing?

    In the pharmaceutical context, third-party manufacturing (TPM) and own-label manufacturing are the same thing – the manufacture makes the product but the buyer markets it under his own brand name (own label). The product is not made by the manufacturer. The drug registration and import licence in the destination country are arranged by the Buyer. It is also referred to as branded generic contract manufacturing or loan licence manufacturing, depending on the situation.

  • Can we establish our pharma brand for Africa with a third-party manufacturer in India?

    Yes, 9M India Limited helps clients build their own branded pharmaceutical portfolios for markets in Africa, the Middle East, the CIS, and South-East Asia by supporting third-party manufacturing. Your brand name appears on the label. The WHO-GMP certificate, DCGI license, COA, stability data, COPP (referring to your product name), CTD dossier, and other documents required to register your branded product in your intended country are all provided by 9M India.

Looking for a WHO-GMP certified manufacturing partner with full documentation?

Share your molecule, strength, and target market. We confirm manufacturing capability, pricing, and all export documentation within 24 hours.

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WHO-GMP certified · DCGI approved · 15+ export countries · Birkoni, Chhattisgarh · Est. 2009 · Reply guaranteed within 24 hours

By Formulation Type
Tablets Capsules Granules & Powders Syrups Suspensions Solutions Ointments Creams Gels Injections Eye Drops Ear Drops External Liquid Dosage
By Therapeutic Segment
Antibiotics Pain Management Cardiovascular Diabetic Care CNS / Neurology Gastrointestinal Respiratory Dermatology Vitamins & Minerals Ophthalmic Paediatrics Anti Infective

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