Pharmaceutical exports from India would grow at 18 per cent to touch volume of Rs 30,000 crore (Rs 300 billion) in 2007-08 from Rs 15,500 crore ( Rs 155 billion) during 2003-04, according to a study released by Assocham in New Delhi on Tuesday.

"India with low production cost of generic drugs has an edge over its competitors in foreign markets. Several products in the developed markets are supposed to lose patent protection in coming years, which would benefit Indian products," Assocham president M K Sanghi said.

The study also points out that globally drugs worth $40 billion would go off patent this year and another $70 billion dollar would go off patent in 2008.

Indian pharma companies would then raise their stake in the world market to 30 per cent, it said.  The study also observed that migration to the new product regime would benefit the domestic pharma industry in the long run.  It would also see innovative products being launched in the market.

Indian companies could leverage their strength in terms of low cost of production and availability of quality manpower as domestic production cost was 50 per cent less as compared to developed countries, it said.