CPHI and PMEC commences at India Expo Centre

The eighteenth edition of CPHI and PMEC India, organised by Informa Markets in India, has commenced at the India Expo Centre, Greater Noida, Delhi-NCR, opening its doors for a three-day showcase of the country's pharmaceutical potential. The event, which runs from 25 to 27 November 2025 boasts of 2,000 exhibitors and 50,000 visitors from more than 120 countries, including delegations from China, Italy, Germany, and South Korea, underscoring its role as South Asia's premier pharma gathering.

Spanning the complete pharmaceutical value chain, from ingredients, excipients, and lab equipment to advanced pharma machinery and packaging, the expo is acting as a platform for forging strategic partnerships and driving industry dialogues.

The inauguration was marked by an address from a line-up of industry leaders and policymakers. Guests of honour included K Raja Bhanu, director general, Pharmexcil; Dr R Chandrashekar, joint drugs controller, CDSCO; Harish K Jain, president, FOPE; and Satyaprakash TL, joint secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Government of India.

A clear mandate for the sector emerged from the opening speeches: to evolve beyond the traditional generics model toward a future defined by high-value, research-led innovation.

Namit Joshi, chairman of Pharmexcil, articulated this vision, stating, "India must evolve beyond its traditional generics mindset to remain the pharmacy of the world. The future lies in value-driven innovation, advancing capabilities in peptides, complex generics, biosimilars, biologics, targeted drug delivery systems, and cell and gene therapies." Joshi highlighted that Indian manufacturers are actively preparing to enter high-value segments like GLP-1 inhibitors as key patents expire.

Echoing this sentiment, Dr Chandrashekar noted that the pharmaceutical sector is rapidly shifting toward an "innovation-driven ecosystem." He credited government and CDSCO reforms, such as streamlined approvals, reduced regulatory layers, and the recommendation of R&D projects worth INR 5,000-crore, for accelerating this transition.

Anil Matai, the director general of OPPI, asserted that after establishing itself as the 'pharmacy to the world,' India is now "transitioning toward becoming a true pharma powerhouse," supported by improved processes and a greater emphasis on innovation and intellectual property protection.

The PMEC India section is showcasing the robust growth of the machinery and packaging industry. Sudish Sukumaran of Elmach Packages highlighted the balanced mix of domestic demand and exports that drives the packaging machinery sector, which is currently growing at 16–20% annually. He noted that specialised categories, such as anti-cancer packaging, have seen nearly fivefold growth in the last three years, reflecting a surging need for advanced, high-efficiency equipment.

Kaushik Desai, secretary general, IPEC India and HADSA, positioned the event as a primary gateway for international exporters to explore India's comprehensive innovation spectrum, including its excipient ecosystem, a USD 1-billion industry. Desai projected that India’s pharmaceutical sector has the potential to scale from its current USD 30-billion export market to USD 130-billion by 2030.

Yogesh Mudras, managing director of Informa Markets in India, confirmed a strategic transition for the show from 2026 onward. He said, CPHI and PMEC India will separate into two specialised shows across two locations on consecutive days to offer a more focused experience. CPHI will move to Dwarka for a premium, content-driven environment, while PMEC will remain at India Expo Centre to better address the scale requirements of machinery and technology exhibitors.

The current edition features strong participation from industry giants like Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Hetero Labs, Biocon, ACG Pam Pharma Technologies, and Shimadzu India, and is backed by key associations including Pharmexcil, IPEC India, and OPPI.