'Biopharma Shakti can power India's rise as a global hub'

UNION government's Biopharma Shakti initiative, combined with faster and more adaptive regulatory processes, has the potential to transform India into a global hub for biotechnology and pharmaceutical innovation.

- Nandita Vijayasimha, Bengaluru

Suneela Thatte, VP & head of healthcare R&D India, Merck KGaA, said India is no longer just the world's pharmacy, it is steadily becoming a global hub for pharmaceutical innovation.

With a talent base, maturing research capabilities, and robust infrastructure, India is ready to deliver high-value, end-to-end R&D across the drug development lifecycle.

From biologics and biosimilars to advanced drug delivery systems and novel therapies, India is contributing to differentiated science. Global Capability Centres are evolving into integrated R&D hubs, driving discovery, clinical development, regulatory strategy, data analytics, and portfolio management in close partnership with global teams, she added.