CII Pharma and Life Sciences Event
India Moves from Healthcare Importer to Global Exporter of Preventive Healthcare, says Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister Of State (Independent Charge) of The Ministry of Science and Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) of The Ministry of Earth Sciences; Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office; Minister Of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Minister of State in the Department of Atomic Energy and Minister of State in the Department of Space at the 7th edition of CII Pharma and Life Sciences Summit 2025
The Indian Government is now equally reaching out to the Industry for innovation and to cope with the change taking place at a fast pace. A key transformation for the pharma Industry is that while India was primarily a healthcare retailer, we are now creating innovations of our own. A recent example made possible with the active support of the Government of India is the development of Nephrathomicine, the first-ever indigenous antibiotic, highly effective in treating resistant respiratory infections. Today, we are exporting preventive healthcare, which marks a significant transformation in the Indian Pharma and Lifesciences Industry over the years said Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister Of State (Independent Charge) of The Ministry of Science and Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) of The Ministry of Earth Sciences; Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office; Minister Of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Minister of State in the Department of Atomic Energy and Minister of State in the Department of Space at the inaugural session titled “Progress, Promise and The Planet: Unlocking Sustainable Growth in Indian Pharma & Life Sciences” of the 7th edition of CII Pharma and Life Science Summit 2025 held on 12th December 2025 at Hotel Shangri-La, New Delhi.
He highlighted the indigenous development of innovations in the healthcare and pharma sector, independent of any other sources, by Indians for the benefit of the entire mankind is supporting the Atmanirbhar and Vishwabandhu Bharat at large. We are number 3 in biomanufacturing in the Pacific region, and some of our devices, biodegradable implants, are finding large markets across the globe due to their competitive quality and affordability. The recent launch of 1 Lakh Crore R&D fund is a Government of India initiative which will focus on the deep tech research and experiments related to health, life sciences, while the Government is financing the private sector. It is imperative to adopt AI and telemedicine in remote areas. India’s Ayushman Bharat scheme is the only initiative across the world that enables the detection of pre-existing disease. Industry and Government need to work together to shape the future of pharma and healthcare in India, he added.
Dr Rajesh Jain, Chairman, CII National Committee on Biotechnology & Managing and Director, Panacea Biotec Ltd. said in his welcome address said India must become a global powerhouse where science, sustainability, and innovation converge. Generative AI-enabled life sciences innovations like the India AI mission, the scientific talent of India, and digital infrastructure innovation can transform the life sciences and the pharma sector of India while ensuring affordability and production at scale, considering its macroeconomic and political stability. It is creating value in drug discovery, clinical methods, supply chain predictability, pharma covigilance, and safety analytics.
Leadership through innovation, sustainability, and digital transformation, the next two decades will shape India into a true life sciences powerhouse driven by our science, our scale, our sustainability efforts, our digital transformation, and our human commitment.
Sanjiv Navangul, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer and Bharat Serums & Vaccines Limited (A Mankind Group Company) said that ‘Progress, Promise and Planet - Unlocking Sustainable Growth in Indian Pharma and Life Sciences’ is basically saying that with access and affordability, which were always the theme, we are now talking about accountability, towards the world, the planet, the people, the human world and that accountability should drive us further as we think about better healthcare and growth, and that is the big change that we are talking about today. Industry 5.0 is beyond AI, it is sustainability, circular economy, and the change is quite fast. Sustainability is a differentiator for the long run. Human implications should be considered through all methods for medical science, AI, or any other innovation, he added.
Dr Chandrashekhar Ranga, Joint Drugs Controller General of India (JDCGI) and Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) highlighted that the required value addition will come from innovation, strong regulatory and Industry reforms, and increased spending on R&D will help India become a global power in pharma by 2047 which will build trust among users not only in India but globally. A digital regulatory system, robust manufacturing, transparency, clarity, and a regulatory framework unique to our country is required for a path towards providing quality, innovative, and affordable products.
Shweta Rai, Managing Director-India and Country Division Head of South Asia, Bayer Pharmaceutical, said that sustainability is a composite of Environmental responsibility and health equity, which is a resilience strategy. Companies to become globally competitive need to invest early in climate-smart operations, renewable energy, greener processes, and responsible supply chains. Partnership with the Government, affordability, and industry and peer-led partnerships can enhance the accessibility of drugs at a larger level.
A CII-Deloitte report titled “Innovating for Impact: The Sustainability Imperative for Pharma & Lifesciences” and the CII CRDMO Task Force brochure titled “Building India's CRDMO Supremacy Through Collaborative Excellence” were launched by the delegates during the event.
12 December 2025,
New Delhi