The 18th edition of CPHI & PMEC India, organised by Informa Markets in India, opened at the India Expo Centre, Greater Noida, highlighting the expanding capabilities and global influence of India’s pharmaceutical industry. The event welcomed more than 2,000 exhibitors and over 50,000 visitors from 120+ countries, including China, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and South Korea, creating a vibrant platform for knowledge exchange, innovation and business collaboration.
Covering a wide spectrum – from pharma machinery, packaging and analytical instruments to cleanroom solutions, lab technologies and ingredients – the exhibition offered an all-inclusive space for stakeholders to connect, exchange ideas and build strategic alliances. From 2026, CPHI and PMEC India will evolve into two distinct, specialised exhibitions held at separate venues on consecutive days. This restructuring, based on extensive industry feedback, aims to provide sharper focus and enhanced value. CPHI at Dwarka will deliver a premium, content-rich experience, while PMEC at IEML will cater to large-scale machinery and technology exhibitors with optimised infrastructure and space.
The inauguration ceremony saw participation from prominent industry figures, policymakers and international representatives, including senior officials from Pharmexcil, CDSCO, FOPE, IPEC, BDMAI, OPPI, IPA, IEML and Informa Markets, underlining the importance of the platform in shaping the sector’s future.
Namit Joshi, Chairman, Pharmexcil, emphasised that India must move beyond its reliance on generics to remain a global pharma leader. He highlighted the importance of value-based innovation in complex generics, biosimilars, biologics, peptides and advanced drug delivery systems, noting that Indian manufacturers are steadily preparing for high-value segments as global patents expire.
Dr R Chandrashekar, Joint Drugs Controller, CDSCO, spoke about the transformation of India’s pharma landscape into an innovation-led ecosystem supported by regulatory reforms, streamlined approvals and significant government-backed R&D funding. He noted that these initiatives position India to emerge as a globally recognised innovation-driven pharma nation within the next five years.
Anil Matai, Director General, OPPI, stated that India is progressing from being the “Pharmacy to the World” to becoming a full-fledged pharmaceutical powerhouse, driven by improved regulations, stronger IP protection and increased investment in research and patient-focused innovation. Highlighting the role of MSMEs, Harish K Jain of FOPE noted that smaller enterprises are actively contributing to the innovation shift, with many showcasing advanced technologies and products at the exhibition and several having grown into global exporters.
Kaushik Desai of IPEC and HADSA underlined the expo’s role as a gateway for global stakeholders to explore India’s excipient and pharma ecosystem, pointing to the industry’s potential to reach USD 130 billion by 2030 and USD 450 billion by 2047, provided policy frameworks keep pace with innovation needs.
From the machinery perspective, Sudish Sukumaran of Elmach Packages highlighted India’s growing leadership in pharmaceutical packaging equipment, citing strong demand across chronic therapies, oncology and nutraceuticals, and an annual growth rate of 16–20%. Dr Sridevi Khambhampaty, CEO, Shilpa Biologicals, spoke about the evolving biologics space, noting reduced regulatory barriers in Europe and the US and India’s readiness to step into innovative biologics alongside biosimilars, supported by global partnerships.
Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India, highlighted the sector’s rapid growth, with exports touching USD 30 billion and increased global participation reflecting confidence in India’s innovation capabilities. He added that separating CPHI and PMEC formats will enable more focused engagement and deeper business outcomes in the future.
Leading pharma and machinery companies participating this year included Dr Reddy’s, Biocon, Hetero Labs, Jubilant Ingrevia, ACG Pam, Cadmach, Gansons, Shimadzu India, and Elmach Packages, among many others. Strong backing from industry bodies such as Pharmexcil, IPEC India, BDMAI, OPPI, FOPE and IPA further reinforced the event’s significance in shaping the next phase of India’s pharmaceutical journey.
