The Rising Tide: Competition Law Enforcement in the Indian Pharmaceutical Sector

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Kalyani Singh, Nov 24, 2014

Given the sensitivity and direct impact on consumers, it is of little surprise that the pharmaceutical industry—if not an absolute—ranks as one of the most controversial and actively pursued sectors by antitrust authorities across the world. India is no exception to this rule.

On September 4, 2014, the Competition Commission of India (“CCI”) issued a notice seeking public comments subsequent to initiating its first Phase II investigation in the Sun/Ranbaxy merger case. Not only is this case a watershed development in merger enforcement, it is also a strong indication towards increasing competition law enforcement in the Indian pharmaceutical sector. This article highlights the recent developments and future trends.