Top 20 Cities to Start Pharma Franchise Business in India

Top 20 Cities to Start Pharma Franchise Business in India: If you are looking to start your own business in the pharma sector, then a PCD pharma franchise is a lucrative option. By choosing the right pharma organization, you can sell and promote pharma products without making any extra investment in establishing your own manufacturing unit. Owing to increasing healthcare awareness, the demand for medicines is rising rapidly. Several individuals are looking to start their pharma business, but for this, it is imperative to decide the best place to start the PCD pharma franchise company.

If you want long-term success, then the right location for better sales as well as delivery is more important. In this blog, we will provide you with the information about the Top 20 Cities to Start Pharma Franchise Business in India. According to the recent survey, it has been predicted that the Indian pharma market will grow at approximately 8-10% annually in the near term and reach USD 120-130 billion by 2030.

List of the Top Cities in India to Start a Pharma Franchise Business in India (2025)

For lucrative benefits, it is crucial to choose the right city to start a pharma business. Among the numerous cities of India, we are going to explain the best cities to start a PCD pharma franchise company in India. Have a look at a list of the Top 20 Cities to Start Pharma Franchise Business in India mentioned in the following table:

No.	Top Cities	Estimated Population (2025)	Estimated No. of Pharma Companies	Why Good for Pharma Franchise Business	Key Illness Categories	Highly Demanded Medicines / Categories
1	Delhi (NCR)	~33.8 million	2,500+	Massive urban market, strong healthcare infra, pan-North India access	Diabetes, hypertension, and respiratory issues	Anti-diabetics, cardiac care, respiratory, vitamins
2	Mumbai	~21.7 million	3,000+	Pharma capital of India, export & logistics hub	Cardiac diseases, hypertension, stress disorders	Cardiology, CNS, OTC, supplements
3	Bengaluru	~14 million	1,800+	Biotech hub, R&D, and specialty drug focus	Obesity, diabetes, cancer	Chronic care, oncology, nutraceuticals
4	Hyderabad	~11.1 million	2,200+	Bulk-drug & API manufacturing zone	Diabetes, infections, thyroid disorders	APIs, anti-infectives, generics
5	Chennai	~12.0 million	1,500+	Export port, medical tourism, strong TN pharma base	Cardiovascular, arthritis, respiratory	Cardiac, antibiotics, painkillers
6	Ahmedabad	~9.0 million	2,800+	Core pharma production hub (Gujarat)	Diabetes, hypertension, infections	Anti-diabetics, antibiotics, analgesics
7	Kolkata	~15.0 million	1,200+	Eastern healthcare and trade hub	Diabetes, GI diseases, and arthritis	Gastro meds, diabetic, pain relief
8	Pune	~7.3 million	1,400+	Rising metro, strong medical infra	Lifestyle diseases, mental health	OTC, neuropsychiatric, supplements
9	Surat	~8.3 million	1,100+	Industrial growth, logistics, Tier-2 expansion	Allergies, diabetes, infections	Respiratory meds, anti-diabetics, vitamins
10	Jaipur	~4.3 million	900+	Expanding Tier-2 city, franchise-friendly	Diabetes, arthritis, and hypertension	Generic cardiac & diabetic drugs, supplements
11	Indore	~2.0 million	700+	Central India hub, cost-effective operations	Infections, chronic disorders	Anti-infectives, vitamins
12	Lucknow	~3.6 million	850+	Capital of UP, large patient base	Hypertension, infections, asthma	Antibiotics, respiratory, cardiac
13	Nagpur	~2.9 million	650+	Central logistics hub, good connectivity	Diabetes, joint pain	Anti-diabetics, analgesics
14	Coimbatore	~2.5 million	600+	Industrial city, healthcare growth	Heart disease, respiratory	Cardiac, supplements
15	Chandigarh	~1.3 million	1,100+	Distribution hub for North India	Diabetes, obesity, and hypertension	Generics, chronic care
16	Bhopal	~2.1 million	500+	Emerging Tier-2 market	Diabetes, infections	Anti-diabetics, OTC, antibiotics
17	Visakhapatnam	~2.8 million	550+	Port city, growing pharma logistics	Gastric disorders, cardiac	Gastro, cardiac, antibiotics
18	Kanpur	~3.2 million	650+	Industrial base, improving healthcare	Diabetes, respiratory, and skin diseases	Anti-diabetics, respiratory meds
19	Patna	~3.5 million	500+	Bihar’s healthcare hub, underserved	Fever, infections, chronic	Antibiotics, analgesics
20	Vadodara	~2.5 million	1,200+	Strong Gujarat pharma cluster	Hypertension, arthritis, and infections	Pain relief, anti-hypertensives, supplements

Delhi (NCR)

If you are searching for the top city to start a PCD pharma business, then choose Delhi (NCR), which connects Punjab, Haryana, UP, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand, which means it allows franchise owners to scale easily across North India. Delhi is considered India’s largest urban market with top-tier healthcare infrastructure. There are world-class hospitals, wholesale medicine markets, and research institutes. The demand for premium as well as chronic care products is relatively high in this area.

Mumbai

Another one of the Top 20 Cities to Start Pharma Franchise Business in India is Mumbai, which has excellent connectivity through air cargo, port, and highways, which are perfect for exports as well as interstate distribution. It is recognized as the home of pharmaceutical companies with 3,000+ medical stores. The main concerns of this city are hypertension, Cardiac diseases, and stress disorders. Therefore, the demand for Cardiology, CNS, OTC, and dietary supplements is much higher there.

Bengaluru

The demand for Chronic care, oncology, and nutraceuticals is high in Bengaluru, which is considered one of the top cities to start a PCD pharma franchise company in India. Bengaluru has high-tech hospitals and educated customers that create consistent demand for specialized formulations. This area has more than 1800 medical stores, and the demand for specialty drugs is increasing day by day.

Hyderabad

Hyderabad is known as the Pharma City of India, which leads in bulk drug manufacturing. This city has 2,200+ medical stores and is ideal for entrepreneurs dealing in generics or APIs. There is a lower cost of operations compared to metros, such as Mumbai or Bengaluru. The major health concerns of Hyderabad are Diabetes, infections, and thyroid disorders. This city is recognized as one of the Top 20 Cities to Start Pharma Franchise Business in India.

Chennai

Chennai has 1,500+ medical stores, and the demand for hospital supplies, surgicals, and chronic therapy segments is rapidly increasing. Owing to its seaport, this area has a strong base for export. Chennai is a top city to start a pharma business because it is considered a hub for medical tourism as well as advanced healthcare services. It is one of the Best States to launch a Pharma Franchise Business in India

Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad has a strong industrial base, skilled manpower, and reliable logistics. This city has the biggest pharma production zones with 400+ WHO and GMP-certified plants. It is a key part of Gujarat’s pharma belt with major manufacturing as well as research and development facilities. There are 2,800+ medical stores in Ahmedabad, which recieves great orders for Anti-diabetics, antibiotics, and analgesics products.

Kolkata

Kolkata is a major port city, which provides access to East as well as Northeast India, making it a key pharma distribution center. The major health concerns of this city are Diabetes, gastrointestinal issues, and arthritis. Kolkata is recognized as one of the Top 20 Cities to Start Pharma Franchise Business in India.

Pune

Are you looking for the area with higher demand for mental health, lifestyle, and OTC products? Then Pune is a rapidly expanding metro city, which requires less investment to start a pharma business as compared to Mumbai, but has similar market potential. Pune has a booming IT as well as medical infrastructure. It offers a youthful, health-conscious customer base.

Surat

A growing middle-class population makes Surat an emerging pharma hotspot. Surat’s location is ideal for organizations expanding from Maharashtra or Gujarat. This place offers affordable warehousing as well as distribution facilities. The major health concerns of this city are diabetes, allergies, and infections.

Jaipur

Jaipur is perfect for pharma startups owing to the expanding healthcare infrastructure and business-friendly policies. Individuals have to face lower competition in this city, and it is a gateway to Rajasthan and the nearby North-West states. Jaipur is one of the Top Indian cities for starting a Profitable Pharma Franchise Business.