Samir Mehta is the Chairman of Torrent Group of companies. Torrent is one of India’s fast-growing and well-respected pharma majors. Torrent has taken several strategic initiatives, including acquisitions, forays into new therapies and geographies, large investments in product development infrastructure and capabilities, building state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities.

Speaking on the new role, Mehta said, “Covid-19 has been a challenging time for the Indian pharmaceutical industry. However, the industry has risen to the challenges and ensured a continuous supply of medicines to patients. The pandemic has further highlighted the significance of collaboration, access to affordable medicines and innovation to respond to the country’s healthcare needs. IPA will be collaborating with stakeholders to strengthen the accessibility of medicines and help in creating an innovation ecosystem that will be beneficial to the patients.”

Sudarshan Jain, Secretary-General, IPA, states “At this unprecedented time of COVID-19 pandemic when the pharmaceutical industry is undergoing a crucial phase of its growth and development, IPA will continue to play a vital role in realising the Industry Vision 2030 of being the largest producer of medicines in the world in volume and move up the value chain with a focus on research and development.”

Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) represents 23 research-based national pharmaceutical companies. Collectively, IPA companies account for over 85 per cent of the private sector investment in pharmaceutical research and development. They contribute more than 80 per cent of the country’s exports of drugs and pharmaceuticals and service over 57 per cent of the domestic market.