‘Manufacturers without factories’ and economic development in the Global South: India’s pharmaceutical firms

Abstract Global value chain/global production network studies have extensively documented the role of lead firms from North in economic development South, including as ‘manufacturers without factories’ (MWFs). However, local sourcing suppliers has been overlooked. In this article, we report findings a qualitative study and demonstrate that MWFs helped establish India leading supplier pharmaceuticals worldwide South. We show how different types (‘propagandists’, ‘pioneers’, ‘connectors’ ‘adaptors’) impact strategic coupling, industrial upgrading governance South–South chains contribute to regional development.