“Laboratory of the World” — a national call for innovation
Union Minister Shri J.P. Nadda, in a special video message, celebrated six decades of OPPI and urged the sector to evolve from being the “pharmacy of the world” to the “laboratory of the world.” He highlighted India’s global role in supplying medicines to over 200 countries, meeting significant portions of US and UK generic demand and producing a substantial share of global vaccines. He also set priorities for the coming decade: reduce dependence on imported critical APIs, scale biosimilars and novel therapies, and harness AI-driven drug discovery and advanced diagnostics.
Self-reliance, One Health and preparedness
Dr. V. K. Paul, Member of NITI Aayog, reinforced the call for self-reliance in critical inputs and urged an integrated One Health approach that links human, animal and environmental health to strengthen preparedness for future challenges. Dr. Paul praised the industry’s contributions during the COVID-19 crisis and urged deeper collaboration to attract global investments and advanced capabilities into India.
Partnerships: policy, procurement and global outreach
Shri Amit Agrawal, Secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, said partnerships across industry, government, academia and allied sectors are central to unlocking innovation. He signalled an open-door policy for both domestic and international players to scale “in India, for India and for the world,” and flagged collaboration opportunities in procurement, insurance and technology to create more value across the supply chain.
Industry urged to back R&D, MSMEs and patient-centric care
Ms. Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, asked the pharma sector to increase R&D investment, strengthen regulatory excellence, and support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in order to move from generics toward high-value innovation and patient-centric solutions. She pointed to flagship public-health schemes such as Ayushman Bharat and Jan Aushadhi as examples of how policy and industry can jointly expand access and affordability.
Reports and awards measuring progress
OPPI released several publications at the summit, including the OPPI–EY Parthenon report and an “Essays on Innovation” compilation that gathers perspectives from scientists, policy makers and industry leaders. The OPPI Awards 2025 honoured scientists and innovators who have contributed to India’s pharma ecosystem, reinforcing the summit’s theme: the power of partnerships.
What this means for India’s pharma trajectory
Taken together, the Summit’s messages form a roadmap: diversify capabilities from bulk manufacturing to advanced R&D; shore up domestic API capacity to reduce strategic import dependence; and use partnerships—policy, private investment and public health programmes—to make innovation affordable and accessible. Industry-watchers say the next steps will require targeted incentives, regulatory clarity and sustained public-private collaboration.
