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The Indian pharmaceutical industry aims for a strategic transition from its traditional role as a volume-driven generics producer toward becoming a value-led innovation hub focused on biologics and biosimilars. This shift comes as the government implements significant financial and regulatory reforms to align the sector with evolving global health requirements and technological advancements.
Speaking to the media at the sidelines of the 9th edition of 'India Pharma 2026', Union Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilizers and Health & Family Welfare Anupriya Patel highlighted the critical nature of this industrial evolution. She noted that the Department of Pharmaceuticals is actively working to expand the domestic industry's influence through dedicated platforms and policy support. "India Pharma 2026' is a very important platform and through this, the Department of Pharmaceuticals is trying to enhance the role of our Indian Pharmaceutical Industry," Patel said. The minister detailed the financial commitment behind this transition, referencing the substantial budgetary allocation designed to pivot the sector toward advanced medical solutions. "As health-related needs are changing all over the world, the Indian pharmaceutical sector should be more involved in the new field of biosimilars and biologics. More research and development is needed for this mission. The use of artificial intelligence in drug discovery is also being increased and encouraged," she added. To sustain this growth, the government is addressing the demand for skilled manpower and modernizing the oversight framework. Patel confirmed that three new National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs) were announced to ensure a steady talent pipeline, while the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) is undergoing structural changes. "With the support of these reforms and research, our pharmaceutical industry can easily transition from 'pharmacy of the world', from the world of generics, i.e. from volume-led generics to value-led innovations, which we call biologics or biosimilars," Patel said. Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, addressed the regulatory aspects of the mission, emphasizing the necessity of developing biosimilars for both preventive and curative treatments. She explained that the ministry is currently working on strengthening the CDSCO to provide specialized scientific support to the biopharma sector. "for us, the development of biosimilars for preventive and curative therapies is very important. But since we also look at drug regulation, from that perspective, this year's budget announcement has strengthened CDSCO to accelerate, on which we are working," Srivastava said. Srivastava also noted that recent regulatory changes, such as the waiver of test licenses for various products, were intended to reduce hurdles for researchers. The ministry plans to introduce a unified digital platform to further streamline the research and development process. "We will develop an integrated dedicated scientific community within CDSCO, so that we can fully support the biopharma sector. We have recently done many regulatory reforms, such as waiver of test license for many products, so that research and development gets promoted. We will do more such reforms as well. We are also bringing a unified digital platform, through this, those who are doing research and development will get a lot of support," Srivastava added. (ANI)
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