India, with the vast and promising pharmaceutical capabilities, is one of the most economical destinations to the global healthcare industry. However, the domestic industry and institutions with comparatively smaller opportunities to share the information with the outside world, is yet to fully explore the wider opportunities globally. This IPA Convention, offers exclusively a unique opportunity for our industry, academia and the other stakeholders to showcase their capabilities to the international players, says Dr Shailesh S Nagarsenker, chairman, Programme Committee, 3rd IPA Convention -2003.


India, the 4th largest manufacturer of pharmaceuticals worldwide, has moved from a closed, highly controlled environment towards greater liberalization and is now gearing up to meet the challenges of the WTO regime. The country has now the highest number of manufacturing units with about 30 US FDA and 100 TGA/MCA approved facilities plus about 200 W.H.O. GMP approved facilities along with sizeable number of companies accelerating their investments in drug research and development. As far as the manufacturing capability is concerned, the Indian industry has grown from a production of mere Rs. 180 million of bulk drugs in the 60's, to Rs. 54.4 billion i.e. approx. 300 times. Formulations have grown almost 140 times from Rs. 1500 million to Rs. 210 billion and exports from a modest of Rs. 30 million to Rs. 100 billion.

Similarly, the sector has abundant scientific and technical manpower, thus possessing a strong intellectual capital. It is ideally suited for conducting clinical research in view of its genetic diversity. It has a rich heritage of herbal products too, along with a plethora of APIs, intermediates, chemicals and excipients. However, the industry still not tried to market these potential abroad as it deserved. The major lacunae is the absence of enough opportunities to interact with the overseas counterparts thus not able to show them the real capabilities. Hence, the theme of the convention is very appropriate today. With this event, we want to overcome this so that the domestic industry and the industry overseas understand each other closely.

What are the objectives and the target of the Convention?
The main objectives of the Convention are to acquaint the participants with business prospects in India, to provide a platform for "Buyers-Sellers Meet" to identify mutual interest for business development, to enable Indian delegates to understand the global expectations through interaction with international delegates.

Moreover this would turn to an ideal venue to address areas of concerns and challenges, which will provide an opportunity to entrepreneurs to exploit the vast untapped Indian market in full potential. And it is also going to facilitate newer contacts and strategic alliances.