In a significant boost to India’s pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities, Orchid Pharma is establishing a major pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Kathua district of Jammu & Kashmir, with an investment of around ₹600–700 crore.
The foundation stone for the project, located at Village Gadadhar in Kathua, was laid by Union minister of state Jitendra Singh, marking a key step toward strengthening India’s domestic production of critical pharmaceutical ingredients.
The project is being set up with facilitation from Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council under the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, and is supported under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing of key sectors.
Strategic Push For Critical Antibiotic Inputs
The upcoming facility will manufacture Amino Cephalosporanic Acid (ACA), a critical intermediate used in the production of cephalosporin antibiotics, which are widely used in modern healthcare.
Currently, India relies heavily on imports, primarily from China, for this key intermediate. According to the minister, the new facility will help reduce import dependence, strengthen supply security and enhance pricing stability in the antibiotic supply chain.
Singh said the investment signals growing confidence in the industrial and innovation potential of Jammu & Kashmir, particularly in emerging sectors such as biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Employment and Regional Development
The project is expected to generate around 400 direct jobs, along with an equal number of indirect employment opportunities across supply chains, logistics and allied sectors.
Singh noted that with improving industrial infrastructure, Kathua has the potential to emerge as an important pharmaceutical manufacturing hub, contributing to India’s pharmaceutical exports in the coming years.
Strengthening India’s Pharmaceutical Self-Reliance
The minister emphasised that the initiative aligns with the broader vision of Narendra Modi to build self-reliance in critical healthcare technologies and pharmaceutical supply chains.
He also referred to the ₹10,000-crore “Biopharma Shakti” initiative announced in the Union Budget, aimed at strengthening India’s biotechnology and biopharmaceutical ecosystem.
Highlighting the importance of the project, Singh said global disruptions such as the pandemic had underscored the risks of over-dependence on a single geography for critical medical inputs. Building domestic manufacturing capabilities, he said, is therefore crucial for ensuring
Orchid Pharma’s Global Footprint
The facility will be developed by Orchid Bio Pharma, part of the Dhanuka Group. The company is among the world’s largest manufacturers of cephalosporin antibiotics, operating in over 60 countries and serving more than 200 global customers through international partnerships.