By: Rahul Koul
Last updated : July 06, 2026 8:22 am
The sector is poised to transition from being the pharmacy of the world to becoming a global innovation powerhouse, say industry leaders
At the fourth edition of India Unlimited event in San Diego on June 21, 2026, stakeholders came together to discuss a question that is increasingly shaping global boardrooms: Can India become the world's next biotechnology innovation powerhouse?
The answer, judging by the conversations between policymakers, diplomats, entrepreneurs and biotechnology leaders, was an emphatic yes but only if the country successfully evolves beyond its reputation as the pharmacy of the world to become a creator of cutting-edge technologies, intellectual property and next-generation therapeutics.
The event organized by the Indian Contract Pharma Association (ICPA) as an affiliate event of BIO International Convention drew nearly 70 attendees and was made especially memorable by the presence of Ambassador Dr. K. J. Srinivasa, Consul General of India, Los Angeles who delivered the keynote address.
"The world already recognises India as the pharmacy of the world. It is now time for the world to recognise India as one of the leading biotechnology innovation hubs. The country has emerged as one of the world's largest producers of pharmaceuticals and vaccines while rapidly expanding capabilities in biosimilars, novel biologics, cell and gene therapies, mRNA vaccines, antibody-drug conjugates, precision medicine and synthetic biology.”
Dr. Srinivasa credited government initiatives such as the BioE3 Policy, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), and the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) for creating a robust innovation ecosystem that supports startups, incubators, academia-industry collaboration and translational research.
Calling the India-US relationship one of the defining strategic partnerships of the 21st century, he urged Indian companies to deepen collaborations with American universities, biotech startups, venture capital firms and pharmaceutical companies.
Earlier in his opening address, Dr. Jitendra Kumar, Advisor, IITH, and former Managing Director, BIRAC welcomed delegates from across the global biotechnology ecosystem and reflected on how India Unlimited has evolved since its inception in 2022.
“The objective is to demonstrate where India's biotechnology ecosystem is headed, the opportunities emerging from rapid policy support, and the challenges that still need to be addressed through collaboration. This year's discussions would focus on India's growing biomanufacturing capabilities under the BioE3 Policy and strategies to strengthen the country's position in the global biotechnology value chain,” said Dr. Kumar.
Gunjan Bagla, CEO and Founder, Amritt Ventures urged Indian biotechnology companies to think beyond traditional markets and recognise California's expanding role as one of the world's most dynamic biotechnology ecosystems. “As innovation increasingly gravitates towards multidisciplinary clusters, Indian companies must establish a stronger presence in Southern California not merely to access capital, but to become active participants in one of the world's richest innovation networks.”
Preparing the ground
The inaugural panel discussion, ‘India Increases its Biotech and manufacturing Quotient,’ explored India's evolving role in global biomanufacturing.
It was moderated by Dr. Prabhuddha Kundu, Co Founder and CEO, Premas Biotech who argued that India is no longer content with being viewed primarily as a supplier of generic medicines or contract services. “India has begun an explicit bid for global leadership in biomanufacturing through reforms spanning funding, regulation and startup development. Such measures have already begun attracting international companies interested in establishing Indian operations to participate in the country's rapidly expanding innovation ecosystem,” said Dr. Kundu.
Dr. Cyrus Karkaria, President- Biotech Businesses, Lupin said, “India's success in biologics will depend on strengthening quality systems, regulatory preparedness and a collaborative innovation ecosystem. Success in advanced markets depends on understanding what regulators expect and building your systems accordingly. It's not just about capacity; it's about meeting global standards consistently. There is now constant exchange of people, ideas and expertise across organisations. That reflects the maturity of the biotechnology ecosystem we have built. Large companies should collaborate with startups rather than simply acquire them. Collaboration creates a stronger innovation ecosystem and benefits everyone."
Russell Miller, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing, Enzene Biosciences said, “The innovation, speed and scientific expertise, not manufacturing scale alone, will determine global competitiveness in biologics manufacturing. EnzeneX, our fully-connected continuous manufacturing platform was born in Pune and built for the world, integrating the entire biologics production process into one seamless, efficient flow. Now, with NeX, we are offering it as a full turnkey program including design, build, training, and support, letting governments and biopharma partners anywhere establish world-class biosimilar manufacturing at up to 75% lower capital cost than a conventional facility.”
Dr. Dinesh Kundu, CEO Founder, East Ocoyon Bio said, “The programmes under the BioE3 framework and other government-backed initiatives have strengthened investor confidence and improved access to private capital for early-stage biotechnology ventures. India’s next phase of biotech growth will come from innovation but it will have to be breakthrough innovation rather than incremental. We have good baseline elements in place now and we need to sustain and in fact increase these efforts for next 10 years. By that time, India will be in a very strong position to challenge the top biotech economies of the world."
The panel also discussed India's expanding biotechnology startup ecosystem, the growing role of Global Capability Centres (GCCs), regulatory reforms, talent development, and the need to build capabilities in advanced modalities such as cell and gene therapies, antibody-drug conjugates, RNA therapeutics and precision medicine.
Going global
The conversation broadened further during the second panel discussion, “Servicing global Research, Development and Manufacturing needs of international stakeholders,” which examined how India can position itself at the forefront of advanced therapies.
Rahul Singhvi, Co-Founder, Resilience argued that resilient biomanufacturing has become a strategic imperative in a post-pandemic world. “Global supply chains are being redesigned, creating an unprecedented opportunity for India to become an integral part of international biologics manufacturing. Our celebrated jugaad mindset has long enabled companies to deliver affordable healthcare through ingenuity and cost efficiency. But the next phase of biotechnology leadership will require something more enduring: world-class manufacturing systems, digital quality platforms, resilient supply chains, sophisticated intellectual property, and sustained investments in original science.”
Dr Priya Kapoor-G Hingorani, MD - India and VP- SEA, Miltenyi Biotec said, “The cell and gene therapy are one of the most transformative developments in modern medicine. The field represents a genuine revolution in healthcare, demanding new capabilities in manufacturing, regulation and clinical adoption. We were among the first to demonstrate the potential of CAR-T therapy for autoimmune disorders, and we are bringing that innovation to India. We realised that India has many highly qualified scientists, but the challenge is translating academic knowledge into practical laboratory expertise. If India wants to establish itself as a global biotechnology leader, every element of the value chain must be developed, not just manufacturing, but innovation, skills, training and technology.”
Mahesh Bhagat, Founder CEO, AAPM Life Sciences said, “India's determination to move from Pharmacy capital of the World to Innovative Pharmacy of the World is clear. Towards this goal, every segment of the ecosystem needs to play a significant role. New drugs from India have started moving into development pipelines and more will follow. Zaynich has paved yet another success. The MSME sector through individual focussed plays have a lot to offer. There are companies focussed on offering access to innovative drugs that show initial promise and are ripe for development, a model perfected suited as India leverages development experience and develops discovery skills.”
Dr Jitendra Kumar, Former MD, BIRAC said, “I have had the opportunity to see both the Bengaluru and Hyderabad innovation ecosystems grow. My effort at BIRAC was to bring together the best practices from these ecosystems and initiate similar positive changes at the national level." On India's biotechnology journey. Before BIRAC, I worked at the Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre, one of India's leading innovation hubs. It nurtured hundreds of companies and helped create a vibrant biotechnology ecosystem through collaboration between the state and central governments. The real opportunity is to combine their strengths and replicate those successful models across the country. My tenure as Managing Director of BIRAC has ended, and I have now joined IIT Hyderabad as an R&D Adviser. I look forward to continuing to strengthen India's innovation ecosystem from this new role.”
India Unlimited 4.0 was sponsored by BIRAC, Miltenyi Biotec, East Ocoyon Bio, and Enzene. The event was supported by Premas, Axella Bio, the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, AAPM Lifesciences, and Lupin. Going forward, ICPA is planning the fifth edition of India Unlimited, scheduled for June 6, 2027 in Philadelphia.
Indian Pharma Post was the exclusive media partner of the event.