2026-01-01

Prasad Gupta, Senior Manager- Marketing, Standard Group of Companies, in an exclusive interview, shares insights with Pharma Industrial India, about the innovative approach to pharmaceutical machinery, highlighting their AI integration, patent portfolio, end-to-end equipment solutions and strategies to meet global compliance standards.

Q. Give us an overview about the Standard Group.

Standard Group offers a complete set of equipment to the customers based on their needs and requirements.

For instance, our facilities cover the entire spectrum of equipment—from glass-lined reactors, ANFDs, RCVDs, blenders, VTDs and isolators to packing systems, continuous processing lines, vacuum pumps, walls and PTFE-lined solutions such as seals.

The core philosophy of the Standard Group is to serve as a complete one-stop solution. Once customers engages with us, they can source all their equipment requirements under one roof, eliminating the need to approach multiple vendors or negotiate separately for different products. This integrated approach simplifies procurement and delivers greater efficiency and consistency for our customers.

Q. When you say one-stop solutions, does that mean you cater to all dosage forms—such as solid and liquid dosage manufacturing—and support manufacturers across these segments?

Yes, absolutely. In formulations, we provide end-to-end solutions covering the entire manufacturing chain—from dispensing, granulation, drying, FBD, blending and tablet compression to IPQA, auto-coating and blister packing. Most of this equipment is manufactured in-house, including isolators and HME systems.

For certain specialised process equipment, we collaborate with trusted third-party vendors. These systems are seamlessly integrated with our own machines before being supplied to customers. Importantly, all of this is delivered through an Indian ecosystem of manufacturers, which allows us to offer comprehensive, integrated solutions while maintaining quality, reliability and local support.

Q. Could you highlight the new technologies or solutions that you introduced or showcased at CPhI India 2025?

We currently hold 18 patents for our innovations and inventions, all driven by specific customer requirements. Each time a customer presents a unique challenge, we explore new ideas, develop solutions, and, where applicable, secure patents before translating those innovations into commercial products and scaling them up for mass production.

At present, in addition to the 18 granted patents, around 10 more patents are under review. This continuous innovation pipeline allows us to introduce at least 10 percent new products to the market every year, reinforcing our commitment to ongoing development across all stages of manufacturing.

Q. How are you integrating AI and automation in your machines?

Our approach to AI integration began internally rather than directly with automation or customer-facing services. We first focused on deploying AI within our own facilities to improve employee productivity and ease of work. With the rapid rise of AI, market expectations, competitive readiness and response times have increased multifold. To remain competitive and sustainable, it became essential for us to understand how AI works and how it can be effectively implemented across our operations.

We started by integrating AI into employees’ day-to-day activities, enabling them to use AI tools in their regular workflows. From there, we expanded our efforts to research and embed AI across broader organisational processes. Over the past two to three months, we have also begun integrating AI directly into our machines. Currently, some of our equipment is already AI-enabled, featuring automated control systems and real-time data generation and analysis. In the coming months, we plan to explore and implement even more AI-driven innovations.

At an industry level, the Indian pharmaceutical sector is undergoing a significant transformation. While India has long been known as the “pharmacy of the world,” primarily focused on manufacturing solid generic dosage forms, the industry is now steadily evolving into an innovation hub, with growing emphasis on biologics as well as cell and gene therapies.

Q. So, do you think the pharma machinery manufacturers are prepared enough to support the pharma / drug manufacturers in this shift?

When we talk about injectables, gene-based therapies and related advanced therapies, everything ultimately begins with the API—it forms the foundation, much like a strong basement supports a large structure. While processes may differ across segments, the critical focus in these areas is often on the equipment being used, as it directly impacts quality, safety and compliance.

Each segment has distinct equipment requirements. The API industry requires one level of qualification, the formulations segment demands higher specifications, injectables require even more stringent standards, and biologics represent the highest level of complexity and precision. We design and manufacture equipment tailored to each of these categories, with dedicated parameters, customised designs and specialised engineering approaches for every application.

Importantly, all our equipment are built to meet global regulatory expectations. Every system we supply is designed to withstand audits by international regulators and complies with key standards and guidelines such as CE, ISO, FDA, CFR, PDA and other relevant international requirements. As a result, our equipment consistently meets audit expectations without gaps, which is one of the key reasons Indian pharmaceutical manufacturing continues to gain global approvals and recognition.

Q. So, would it be fair to say that Indian manufacturers—particularly your company—are now at par with German engineering standards, which are widely regarded as the benchmark for excellence and quality in pharmaceutical machinery?

For instance, if a pharmaceutical company plans to market its medicines in the US, it must comply with US FDA requirements. The US FDA has stringent guidelines governing equipment design, operation and documentation. When our equipment is designed to meet these US FDA standards from the outset, it leaves little room for auditors to identify gaps or non-compliances.

Similarly, different regions—such as Europe, Germany, the US and parts of Africa—have their own regulatory and qualification requirements. Based on our practical experience, US FDA standards are among the most stringent, globally. By designing our equipment to meet these highest benchmarks, we ensure that it automatically complies with most other international regulatory frameworks as well. This approach is the key reason our equipment is accepted across global markets.

Q. So, your machineries are qualified for the US FDA?

Yes, and one important point to add is that most of our customers aim to qualify for US FDA approvals so they can market their products in the US, while also supplying to other regulated markets such as Europe and Germany. Our equipment are designed to support these goals and are compliant with all major regulatory and government certification requirements, enabling customers to confidently seek approvals across multiple global markets.

Q. What are the key trends shaping the pharmaceutical machinery manufacturing sector today, and which developments do you expect to see emerging over the next two to three years?

AI is already being actively adopted in the pharmaceutical sector, particularly in areas such as design validation and testing. Earlier, developing a drug or validating a design often required testing hundreds of scenarios. With AI, many of these outcomes can now be predicted in advance, allowing teams to focus only on the most relevant and result-oriented test cases. This significantly reduces development time, minimises waste and improves overall productivity.

AI also simplifies complex data handling. Tasks that previously required extensive manual effort—such as analysing large datasets or comparing new results with historical data—can now be efficiently managed by AI systems with greater accuracy and speed.

Looking ahead to the next two to three years, companies that successfully integrate AI into their systems are likely to move far ahead of their peers. Those that delay adoption may find it increasingly difficult to remain competitive and could struggle to sustain themselves in a rapidly evolving market.

Q. Could you share some insights into your company’s future roadmap, including any expansion plans and key strategies you intend to implement in 2026?

Our future strategy is not centred solely on selling products, but on delivering comprehensive services. We want customers to engage with the Standard Group because of our brand strength, service excellence and reliability—not just because we supply equipment.

When customers come to us, they should feel confident that all their equipment needs can be met under one roof, supported by strong service, competitive pricing and dependable, high-quality solutions. Our goal is to build long-term trust, so customers choose us for the value.

Q. Can you share the new technologies your company is planning to introduce in the near future?

Technology is never a full stop; it’s a comma. Once we achieve a target, the next revision naturally follows. Take Motorola, for example—they invented the first mobile, and although the original product is no longer in the market, their innovations continue to evolve. Similarly, whenever we invent something, it’s never final—we revise, improve, and reinvent our own inventions.

For all our equipment, we strive to deliver the best quality based on our experience, while continuously developing new solutions tailored to customer requirements. As these requirements evolve over time, we remain focused on innovating to meet them.