Zerodha's Nithin Kamath says India's response to affordable weight-loss drugs is 'weird'. Here's why

Published 26 June 2026 · health

Weight-loss drugs have emerged as one of the biggest healthcare trends worldwide, but India appears to be charting a different course. Despite obesity rates climbing

Weight-loss drugs have emerged as one of the biggest healthcare trends worldwide, but India appears to be charting a different course. Despite obesity rates climbing and generic versions of GLP-1 medications becoming significantly more affordable, Indian consumers are not adopting these treatments as quickly as many expected. Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath recently highlighted the trend, saying he was surprised that sales of generic GLP-1 drugs had not taken off after patent expiries made them more accessible. His remarks came in response to a report by The Economic Times, which said that “homegrown drugmakers, which entered the generic semaglutide market with ambitious first-year revenue goals, are quietly paring sales targets.” Nithin Kamath Questions Slow Uptake Of GLP-1 Drugs In India Sharing his views on X, Mr Kamath said he had expected demand for generic GLP-1 medicines to surge once prices fell. According to him, these medicines now cost around ₹1,000 to ₹2,500 a month, making them less expensive than many gym memberships.

However, reports suggest drugmakers have reduced their sales projections by 25 to 30 per cent, signalling weaker-than-anticipated demand. The tweet read, "India is a weird market. With obesity rates shooting up, I'd have bet on the sales of generic GLP-1s exploding once their patents expired. They now cost about ₹1,000–2,500 a month, and there's growing evidence pointing to benefits well beyond weight loss, including cardiovascular, metabolic, and liver health. Yet, generic drugmakers are quietly cutting their sales targets by 25–30%. At ₹1,000–2,500 a month, it's cheaper than a gym membership. The real problem seems to be retention. GLP-1s are injectables, and you have to keep taking them. If you stop, you gain back the lost weight. It seems like asking someone to stay on a weekly injection indefinitely is a much harder sell. A few other friction points: For a variety of reasons, Indians haven't taken to GLP-1s with the same enthusiasm as Western populations. Could it be because Indian physicians are conservative when it comes to prescribing newer drugs?

Self-injecting is a pain for most people, and that friction and inertia might be stopping them from starting in the first place. Given that there are now GLP-1 pills, I'm wondering if the adoption curve will change." 'Cheaper Than A Gym Membership,' Yet Sales Targets Are Falling According to Mr Kamath, pricing may not be the biggest obstacle. Instead, he believes the challenge lies in keeping patients on treatment over the long term. GLP-1 medicines, which are commonly prescribed for diabetes and weight management, generally require regular injections. Patients often need to continue taking the medication to sustain weight-loss benefits, as stopping treatment can result in regaining lost weight. "It seems like asking someone to stay on a weekly injection indefinitely is a much harder sell," Mr Kamath observed. Conservative Prescribing And Weekly Injections May Be Holding Back Adoption The Zerodha co-founder also pointed to what he believes are other factors contributing to the slower adoption of GLP-1 drugs in India.