Exports from Indore SEZ up 10% in FY25-26, pharma drives growth

Indore: Exports from multi-product Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Indore rose by over 10 percent in the last financial year, largely supported by the execution of strong order books from the previous year, even as global trade faced disruptions.Data shows that exports from SEZ stood at Rs 14,302.25 crore in 2025-26, up from Rs 12,948.02 crore in 2024-25, marking a growth of 10.46 percent. Overall cumulative exports, including IT SEZs, touched Rs 18,686.35 crore during the year.An official from the SEZ development commissioner's office, requesting anonymity said, the growth reflects resilience in key export-oriented sectors."Despite disruptions in global trade routes and rising logistics costs, units in the SEZ have managed to sustain growth, largely driven by fulfilment of orders and as these MNCs have strong market presence with regulatory approvals in overseas countries particularly the US and UK ," the official said.Pharmaceuticals continue to dominate exports from the zone, accounting for nearly 70 percent of the total outbound shipments, with the US among the top importers of medicines manufactured in the region. The zone houses around 59 operational units across sectors such as pharma, engineering, textiles, food processing and plastics, creating a diversified export base.The global trade environment remained volatile during the year. The West Asia conflict, which escalated after the US and Israel attacked Iran on Feb 28, impacted global energy supplies and disrupted shipping routes, affecting export-import cycles and increasing freight costs for Indian exporters.The information technology/information technology enabled services (IT/ITES) segment also posted steady growth, with total exports from IT units rising to Rs 4,384.10 crore from Rs 4,038.61 crore in the previous year, reflecting an increase of 8.55 percent.Indore-based firms continue to rely on the United States as their largest market but are expanding into Europe and the UAE as enterprises accelerate cloud, cybersecurity and AI-led modernisation.An IT professional from Indore Nilesh Maheshwari said "This rise in IT exports is driven by steady ecosystem-building rather than a one-time spike. With strong demand in AI, cybersecurity and enterprise tech, Indore is well positioned for the next phase, including attracting more global capability centres."Among individual units, Infosys recorded exports of Rs 992.92 crore, up 21.52 percent, while Impetus Infotech saw a sharp jump of 46.11 percent to Rs 838.07 crore. TCS reported marginal growth of 2.23 percent at Rs 1,889.08 crore, while Yash Technologies remained largely stable. In contrast, Crystal IT Park saw exports decline by around 19.37 percent.Experts said tier-2 centres such as Indore are emerging as innovation-driven digital hubs, contributing increasingly to India's global IT footprint, even as manufacturing exports remain sensitive to global disruptions.