U.S. drugmaker Eli Lilly & Co. has introduced Mounjaro in India, the country’s first treatment of its kind for obesity, with monthly costs ranging from $168 to $210. The medication is approved for weight loss in patients both with and without type-2 diabetes.
Industry experts anticipate competition to intensify soon as other foreign pharmaceutical companies plan to launch similar products in this growing market. Medical professionals expect adoption to be higher among diabetes patients initially due to greater awareness in this group, with projections suggesting a 15-20% uptake among patients with type-2 diabetes.
“The dual burden of obesity and type-2 diabetes is rapidly emerging as a major public health challenge in India. Lilly is committed to collaborating with the government and industry to promote awareness and improve the prevention and management of these diseases,” stated Winselow Tucker, president and general manager of Lilly India.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, India has 101 million people with diabetes, with at least 40 million currently on medication. Financial analysts at Systematix suggest that if even 0.5% of these patients use Mounjaro, it could generate annual sales of $1.5 billion for Eli Lilly, as the yearly treatment cost amounts to approximately $7,800 per patient.
Obesity rates in India are increasing significantly. As of 2021, about 180 million Indians were classified as obese or overweight – a figure projected to reach 450 million by 2050, according to a recent Lancet study. The market potential is substantial, with a July 2024 report in the British Medical Journal indicating that the market for GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) hormone receptors, for diabetes patients in India doubled to $3.6 billion in 2024.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
