The Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers, Government of India, is organising the 9th edition of India Pharma 2026. The event is being held in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) on April 13–14, 2026, at Federation House, FICCI, New Delhi.
Inauguration and focus areas
The event will be inaugurated by Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers, and Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilizers. The conference serves as a platform for sectoral growth and international collaboration, focusing on India’s pharmaceutical capabilities, research and development (R&D), and the resilience of global supply chains.
Theme and strategic vision
The theme for this year’s edition is “Discover in India: Leapfrogging Life-Sciences Innovation.” Aligned with India’s vision of emerging as a global pharma innovation hub, the theme highlights the transformative potential of life sciences in enhancing healthcare access, driving economic growth, and strengthening global health systems.
India continues to play a pivotal role in the global supply of affordable, high-quality medicines. Building on this strong foundation, India Pharma 2026 aims to accelerate the sector’s transition from a volume-driven model to a value- and innovation-led global powerhouse.
Participation and key dignitaries
The two-day event will witness the participation of a distinguished lineup of policymakers, industry leaders, and domain experts from across the pharmaceutical sector. Prominent dignitaries include Manoj Joshi, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals; Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare; and Vinod K. Paul, Member, NITI Aayog.
The event will also feature eminent domain experts such as Renu Swarup, Former Secretary, Department of Biotechnology; and Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, CEO, Anusandhan National Research Foundation.
Regulatory and industry representation
The regulatory perspective will be represented by Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), along with A. Visala, Joint Drugs Controller (India), CDSCO, and Gregory Smith, Country Director (India), U.S. Food and Drug Administration, bringing both domestic and global regulatory insights.
The industry will be represented by leading industrialists such as Dilip Shanghvi of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries and Pankaj Patel of Zydus Lifesciences, along with FICCI Pharma Committee leadership including Arjun Juneja, COO, Mankind Pharma; Achin Gupta, Managing Director & Global CEO, Cipla; Winselow Tucker, President and General Manager, Eli Lilly and Company (India); and Kartik Rajendran, Managing Director, Abbott India.
Sessions and agenda highlights
Apart from a dedicated special session, Start-up Showcase, the two-day event will feature six plenary sessions covering policy thrust for catalysing innovation, enabling a regulatory ecosystem to foster innovation, harnessing AI and next-generation technologies for disruptive innovation, unleashing India’s CRDMO potential, developing a vibrant pharma financing ecosystem, and reflections and big moves to leapfrog innovation.