The drug will be priced at ₹3,500 for a 2.5 mg vial and ₹4,375 for the 5 mg vial. The injectable, to be taken once a week, would cost patients between ₹14,000 to ₹17,500 monthly.

Eli Lilly launched its blockbuster diabetes and weight-loss drug Mounjaro in India on Thursday, beating rival Novo Nordisk for a much-awaited entry into the world's most populous country grappling with increasing rates of obesity and diabetes.

In India, around 101 million people suffer from diabetes. More than half of these patients do not have their blood sugar under control. At the same time, obesity is affecting around 100 million people.