IndiaTrialPulse | January to September 2026 Edition
The January to September 2026 edition of IndiaTrialPulse is now live.
Instead of a single month, this edition gives you a glimpse of the first 9 months of 2026. It takes a closer look at 439 multi-site trials across 179 cities to answer three simple questions: how big, where, and what kind.
How Big
Between January and September, 8,245 clinical trials were registered in India. Of these, 439 were multi-site trials, averaging 49 per month. April recorded the peak, with 63.
Most of these trials stay small. 53% of multi-site trials use 5 sites or fewer, while only 22 trials ran across 21 or more sites.
Global trials go wider. They use a median of 8 Indian sites, twice the median of 4 for India-only trials.
Where
Research activity remains concentrated. 68% of sites are in just 20 cities. Delhi leads with 259 sites. Pune (201) ranks ahead of Mumbai (191), and Nagpur makes the place in the top 8.
What Kind
Oncology led with 66 trials and also had the largest footprint, with a median of 7 sites. Metabolic & Endocrinology followed closely with 64, then Cardiology, CNS/Neurology, and Gastroenterology.
By phase, late-stage trials outnumbered early-stage trials 3.1 to 1: 235 Phase III/IV trials against 76 Phase I/II. Another 42 were post-marketing studies.
Why This Matters
Most multi-site trials in India remain lean and concentrated. Yet cities like Pune, Ahmedabad, and Nagpur are steadily claiming a larger share of research activity.
The gap between global and domestic trial footprints points to a clear opportunity: scaling trials beyond a handful of sites and reaching patients beyond the top 20 cities. This is where decentralized and hybrid models can make a real difference.
Understanding these trends is just as important as tracking them.
About StriderDCT
StriderDCT is an AI-native, full-spectrum clinical research organization advancing Digital Clinical Trials across India and beyond. From BA/BE and conventional studies to decentralized and hybrid delivery, we help sponsors and CROs run trials with less burden on sites and patients, and turn clinical data into the kind of intelligence teams can act on. IndiaTrialPulse is one expression of that: a regular read on where clinical research in India is heading.
Follow StriderDCT for future editions of IndiaTrialPulse and stay connected to the evolving pulse of clinical research in India.