Ajit Singh, Chairman of the ACG Group, has underscored the critical need for stronger collaboration between manufacturers and suppliers to drive the next generation of pharma innovation.  

“As the pharma industry gets more complex, and it's happening at a very fast pace, we manufacturers cannot do it alone anymore. We must work closely with our customers and work jointly to address their new requirements,” Singh said while speaking at a conference during the PHARMA MachTech Expo 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, organised by EEPC India.

“A lot of the new requirements in the pharma industry actually come from the supplier side, not from pharma itself. But till we work together — those creating new types of machinery or accessories and the pharma companies that need them for making these new processes — there's going to be a slowdown of technological progress,” he added.

He added that ACG is working with a biotech partner to create oral capsules for biologics/vaccines.

Singh emphasised that capsules can potentially remove the need for refrigeration (through freeze-drying) and doctors or needles (as patients could just swallow a pill), while lowering costs, increasing safety, and improving access.

“Now, we are already 70 percent of the way there, but we don't understand biotech. So, we've tied up with a biotech company and we will work together to make this new dosage form available across the world,” he added, reiterating that the next generation of pharma innovation depends on working together.

During the session on ‘Seizing Global Opportunities: Catalysing Innovations, Regulations and Exports in Pharma Machinery & Lab Equipment’, Singh also stressed the need to raise the standards of pharma machinery and ensure pharmaceutically-approved manufacturing facilities to make Indian pharma products truly global. He further underscored the importance of embracing automation in manufacturing, while strategically deploying human resources towards research, development, and allied functions.

Dr. Govind Pandey, Managing Director and CEO, Gamp Technologies, highlighted that India must move from ‘Make in India’ to ‘Invent in India.’ He outlined five key enablers to achieve this transformation: Supportive regulations and policies, Incentivising research, Developing and using digital infrastructure, Making public–private partnerships (PPPs) mainstream and Creating a Conducive ecosystem with workforce upskilling and cross-skilling.  

Dr. Pandey noted that the Indian pharma machinery market is projected to reach USD 3.35 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 6.7 percent. He further highlighted that India exports pharma machinery to more than 100 countries, contributing around 35 percent of the industry’s total revenue.

Prof. Anand Sharma from the Department of Pharmaceutical Management at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) also participated in the session, which was moderated by Ashwin Haleyur, Partner (Pharma and Life Sciences), PwC India.