The 9th edition of India Pharma 2026, organised in collaboration with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA), brought together key stakeholders from across the global pharmaceutical and healthcare ecosystem, with a focus on innovation, self-reliance, and global leadership.

Addressing the inaugural session virtually, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, and Chemicals and Fertilisers, JP Nadda, emphasised that the platform reflects both the strength and growing global relevance of India’s pharmaceutical sector. He noted that while India has long been recognised as the “pharmacy of the world” due to its leadership in affordable generic medicines, the global landscape is now rapidly shifting towards biologics, biosimilars, and specialty medicines.

“In this evolving environment, India is well positioned not only to adapt but to emerge as a global leader,” he stated.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to fostering innovation and strengthening research capabilities, he highlighted the recently launched Biopharma Shakti Initiative with an outlay of INR 10,000 crore, aimed at advancing capabilities in biopharmaceutical innovation under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He further underscored complementary initiatives such as the PRIP scheme for promoting research in pharmaceuticals and medical technology, which seek to deepen industry-academia collaboration and accelerate the development of innovative therapies. Strengthening domestic manufacturing remains a key priority, supported by schemes like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes and the development of bulk drug parks to enhance self-reliance and resilient supply chains. He also reiterated the government’s commitment to affordable healthcare through initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana, which continues to expand access to quality medicines at affordable prices across the country.

He added that India Pharma 2026 provides a vital platform to foster dialogue, partnerships, and a forward-looking roadmap for the sector.

Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, and Chemicals and Fertilizers, Anupriya Patel, highlighted that India is undergoing a significant transition from being a global generics leader to an emerging biopharma innovation hub. She noted that India currently contributes nearly 20 percent of global generic medicines and meets around 70 percent of global vaccine demand, underscoring the country’s robust manufacturing capabilities.

Emphasising future opportunities, she stated that the global demand for biologics and biosimilars is expanding rapidly, with the biosimilars market projected to reach USD 75 billion by 2030. She further pointed out that innovative drugs account for nearly 87 percent of the global pharmaceutical market value, underlining the need for India to intensify its focus on innovation-driven segments.

Patel also outlined the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in drug discovery and development. She emphasised the importance of strengthening human capital through premier institutions such as National Institutes of Pahrmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs) and Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to support advanced research and innovation.

Manoj Joshi, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), stressed the need to accelerate innovation timelines, strengthen startup ecosystems, and build robust infrastructure for clinical trials and advanced research. He highlighted the importance of enhanced funding mechanisms, closer industry-government collaboration, and development of skilled talent.

Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening the regulatory ecosystem and enabling innovation. She noted that several measures have been undertaken to streamline approval processes and improve the ease of doing research, with the aim of transforming India from the “pharmacy of the world” to an “innovator for the world.”

Arjun Juneja, Chair, FICCI Pharma Committee, and COO, Mankind Pharma, highlighted India’s strong pharmaceutical base, noting the presence of over 3,000 companies and more than 10,500 manufacturing facilities, including the highest number of US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-compliant plants outside the US. He emphasised the need for deeper collaboration between Indian and global players to drive innovation-led growth.

The two-day conference and exhibition will feature deliberations on policy frameworks for innovation, AI in drug discovery, next-generation technologies, and strategies to enhance India’s global competitiveness in life sciences. The event is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping the future roadmap of the pharmaceutical sector and reinforcing India’s position as a global healthcare leader.

The day witnessed four high-impact plenary sessions that brought together policymakers, industry leaders, regulators and technology experts to chart the future of India’s pharmaceutical and life sciences ecosystem. The discussions reflected a strong consensus on accelerating innovation through policy support, regulatory transformation and adoption of next-generation technologies.

The inaugural plenary session on “Policy Thrust for Catalysing Innovation,” highlighted the urgent need to bridge the gap between policy intent and on-ground execution. Manoj Joshi, Secretary, DoP, emphasised industry-led model for Research and Development (R&D), importance of strengthening government lab networks and attuning regulatory model to that of European systems.

Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Research, said though research funding has increased manifold over the last few years, the country needs a Bharat model of R&D with confidence of the market in the innovators and increased trust between industry and academica. Industry leaders echoed the need for increased venture capital participation and co-funding mechanisms to nurture research-driven enterprises, stronger industry-academia integration and underscored the importance of integrated ecosystems to translate early-stage discoveries into global solutions. The session concluded with a strong call to “Discover in India” and position the country as a global innovation hub.

The second plenary session on “Enabling Regulatory Ecosystem to Foster Innovation” focused on creating a predictable, efficient and globally aligned regulatory framework. Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), highlighted the importance of stakeholder consultations in shaping responsive regulatory systems. Industry experts called for expedited approval pathways, single-window clearance mechanisms and greater global harmonisation to reduce duplication and accelerate patient access. Industry leaders further underlined the need for digital enablement and continuous collaboration between regulators and industry. The session underscored that a future-ready regulatory ecosystem will be critical to unlocking next-generation therapies and strengthening India’s global competitiveness.

The third plenary session on “Harnessing AI and Next-Gen Technologies for Disruptive Innovation” explored the transformative potential of AI across the pharmaceutical value chain. Pharma leaders emphasised reimagining processes rather than merely digitising existing systems. They highlighted the growing importance of strong data and technology foundations to enable scalable AI adoption and stressed the immediate benefits of automation in improving clinical efficiency. The session concluded on a forward-looking note, with experts agreeing that AI will play a pivotal role in accelerating drug discovery, enabling precision medicine and shaping a smarter, innovation-led healthcare ecosystem.

The fourth plenary session on “Unleashing India’s CRDMO Potential” brought focus to India’s growing role in the global Contract Research, Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CRDMO) landscape. The panel noted that India’s CRDMO industry, currently valued at around USD 8 billion, has been growing at a robust pace of 10-12 percent, reflecting strong global outsourcing demand. Industry leaders stressed that speed will be a critical differentiator in scaling India’s R&D and manufacturing capabilities, and highlighted the transformative role of AI and digital technologies, including digital twins, in reshaping the CRDMO ecosystem. The session concluded by outlining the strategic priorities required for India to lead the next phase of global growth in complex modalities and outsourced pharma services.