Meropenem, Ritonavir Back in Focus as DoP Reopens PLI Application Window Till March 12
New Delhi: The Department of Pharmaceuticals under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has re-opened the application window for select products under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Promotion of Domestic Manufacturing of Critical Key Starting Materials (KSMs), Drug Intermediates (DIs) and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs).
In a notice dated February 19, 2026, the Department stated that applications are being invited again for two eligible products—Meropenem and Ritonavir—after representations were received from industry stakeholders expressing intent to participate in the scheme. The earlier application window had closed on January 16, 2026.
As per the notice, various conditions of the scheme will remain unchanged. Allocation will continue to be subject to available capacities, applicable annual incentive ceilings for the products, and the limit of incentive up to the production tenure, which extends up to FY 2027–28 for chemical synthesis products.
However, applicants—including their group companies or subsidiaries—who had previously applied for the same unsubscribed products and were granted approval but later withdrew, or whose approval was cancelled under Clause 12.11 of the Scheme Guidelines (amended to Clause 12.13 via corrigendum dated March 12, 2024) due to non-performance or other reasons, will not be eligible to apply again for the same product.
According to the details provided in the notice, Meropenem falls under the target segment of other chemical synthesis-based KSMs/Drug Intermediates/APIs, with a minimum annual production capacity requirement of 4 metric tonnes (MT) and a shortfall of 16 MT. A maximum of four applicants will be selected for this product. Ritonavir, also under the same target segment, requires a minimum annual production capacity of 5 MT, with a shortfall of 20 MT, and similarly allows selection of up to four applicants.
Eligible applicants may submit applications through online mode only from February 20, 2026 to March 12, 2026. The last date for receipt of complete applications is March 12, 2026.
The notice has been issued from Udyog Bhawan, New Delhi, and signed by the Under Secretary to the Government of India. API manufacturers and eligible industries under the PLI scheme for bulk drugs have been advised to take note of the re-opened window.
