US pharma giant Eli Lilly is preparing to expand its footprint in India’s fast-growing weight-loss drug market. After launching its injectable Mounjaro KwikPen earlier this year at ₹14,000 for the starter dose, the company is now gearing up to introduce its experimental oral drug Orforglipron. Targeted at patients with a BMI of 27–34, the pill avoids the cold-chain logistics required for injectables, making it easier to store, distribute, and adopt in India’s oral-driven market. Regulatory submissions are expected within months, with approvals likely in 2026.
The growth prospects are enormous. Analysts project India’s weight-loss drug market currently worth ₹700 crore could touch nearly ₹10,000 crore by 2030, with users jumping from 100,000 today to four million once cheaper generics arrive after Wegovy’s patent expiry in 2026.
But this optimism comes with serious warnings. In August, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) flagged rampant misuse of GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro. IMA president Dr. Dilip Bhanushali stressed that only endocrinologists or diabetologists should prescribe these medications, given unknown long-term risks. Yet, reports indicate that cosmetologists, physiotherapists, and even online pharmacies are dispensing them with little oversight, sometimes for a nominal fee.
Experts caution that without strict regulatory controls, India’s weight-loss boom could spiral into a health crisis turning medical breakthroughs into public hazards.