Experts Call for Nurturing Quality Culture and Next-Gen Talent to Drive Global Excellence in Pharma at IPA’s 10th Global Pharmaceutical Quality Summit 2025
by Prashant Kapadia/NHN
Mumbai, The Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) successfully concluded the 10th edition of the Global Pharmaceutical Quality Summit 2025. The theme for the Summit was ‘Navigating the Next Decade for Global Excellence’, reflects a decade of commitment to advancing the pharmaceutical quality agenda and the industry’s vision to steer India’s pharmaceutical sector toward sustained global leadership.
The two-day Summit witnessed 11 sessions and 50+ speakers, including industry leaders, government officials, global regulators, and quality experts, to foster knowledge exchange and deliberate on key areas shaping the pharmaceutical landscape in India and globally.
Mr. Sudarshan Jain, Secretary General, IPA, began the Summit with a welcome address, followed by opening remarks from Mr. Nilesh Gupta, Chair, Quality Committee, IPA and Managing Director, Lupin. The keynote address was delivered by Dr Arvind Virmani, Hon’ble Member, NITI Aayog, Government of India, with special remarks by Dr. Rajeev Raghuvanshi, Drug Controller General of India, Government of India.
The summit set the stage for the sector’s future with the launch of “Shaping the future of India’s pharmaceutical operations” report by McKinsey & Company. It also saw forward-looking topics on accelerating biopharma transformation, operational excellence and holistic quality beyond compliance, and cross-sectoral learnings from the automobile, defense, investment banking sector, for quality and manufacturing excellence, with representation from academia IIT, ISB, ICT and NIPERs. The regulators deliberated on global harmonisation, evolving regulations and the role of sustainability. The highlight of the Summit was the CEOs panel discussion on “Navigating the next decade for global excellence” featuring Dilip Shanghvi (Sun Pharma), Pankaj Patel (Zydus Lifesciences), Nilesh Gupta (Lupin) and Umang Vohra (Cipla).
Mr. Sudarshan Jain, Secretary General, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, stated in his welcome speech, “Quality is a journey, not a destination. Quality is the fundamental license to operate in this sector. India is poised to make “quality” as a sustainable competitive advantage.”
In his inaugural remarks, Mr. Nilesh Gupta, Chair, Quality Committee, IPA and Managing Director, Lupin, commented, “It is more crucial than ever to exceed the expectations of the global community. Over the past decade, India has made remarkable progress, transitioning now to meeting international benchmarks. We have raised standards, improved compliance, and implemented stricter quality controls. Our industry is emerging as a global leader in quality and compliance. This Summit marks the beginning of the next decade of pharmaceutical excellence. Moving forward, we will focus on real-world manufacturing, quality control, and hands-on training for professionals. This initiative will transform traditional manufacturing and drive significant advancements in the industry.”
During the keynote address, Dr. Arvind Virmani, Hon’ble Member of NITI Aayog, emphasised that India’s demographic advantage will be instrumental in realising the country’s potential for Viksit Bharat. He highlighted that the pharmaceutical sector will remain a key driver in shaping public health, which is crucial for the nation’s economic growth.
Dr Rajeev Raghuvanshi, Drug Controller General of India, Government of India, remarked, “True growth in the pharmaceutical industry is driven by quality, not profitability. India plays a critical role in global healthcare, contributing significantly to human genetics, vaccines, and medicines. We serve a large portion of the global population, and our commitment extends beyond business—it is a service to the world. While much of India’s pharmaceutical exports are directed to regions with stringent regulations such as the US and the EU, a substantial proportion is also exported to countries with less strict regulations, relying on the integrity of India’s systems. Indian companies are vital in supporting these global frameworks, and it is imperative that we work together to enhance our regulatory environment. Ultimately, our mission is to serve a significant portion of the world’s population with high-quality products and care.”
During the concluding address by Dr Sharvil Patel, Vice President, IPA and Managing Director, Zydus Lifesciences, reinforced the direction for the future, “The industry must be fit for quality, to move beyond compliance and strive for true quality excellence. The overall thrust should be on simplification of SOPs, strengthening a culture of quality and empowerment at all levels”. He welcomed the revised Schedule M, which will support India in taking steps towards global harmonisation. The pharmaceutical industry’s goal of achieving membership in the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) and the Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme (PIC/S) was outlined as a key milestone for the next decade, further consolidating India’s position as a global pharmaceutical leader.