Generic medicines are drugs that have the same active ingredients, strength, quality and efficacy as brand name drugs. They must be approved for consumption. The Indian government encourages generic drug manufacturing through policies like allowing process patents and promoting prescriptions by generic drug names. This has made India a leading producer of generic drugs. Generic medicines produced in India are as safe and effective as those produced elsewhere due to stringent global regulations. The government also launched an initiative to make generics more affordable and accessible to all.