With a view to encourage and sensitise students about the export potential of the country, the Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council (Pharmexcil) for the first time is organising a high level international pharma business meet (BSM) during the 63rd  Indian Pharmaceutical Congress (IPC) from December 16 to 18 in Bengaluru. This meet is expected to witness the largest ever participation from foreign countries with 25 countries already registered for the BSM.

The aim behind organising this BSM in the sidelines of the IPC is to provide an opportunity to the students to understand about the dynamics of Indian pharma industry and its export potential. It will focus on sensitising and exposing them to an environment that will give them first hand experience on ways to conduct export oriented business and understand the laws and regulation pertaining to the same.

According to Dr P V Appaji, executive director, Pharmexcil, “Unlike our usual region specific BSMs for total pharma sector, from this year we have decided to widen our horizon and include students, research assistants etc to our targeted audience. It is high time to realise that these students are the future of the Indian pharma sector and we need include them in such events so that they can also be familiarised about the requirements and needs of the industry. But most importantly we want them to develop a culture that will focus on export since our country has immense potential for the same.”

Dr Appaji informed that the meeting will also have panel discussions which will be attended by top regulatory officials from the country with special focus on finding newer ways to explore opportunities in the semi-regulated and regulated markets along with discussion on facing challenges pertaining to exports.

As of now Pharmexcil has got confirmation of attendance from more than 40 foreign delegates and over 100 Indian delegates from the APIs, formulations, bio pharma, herbal, registration consultants sector etc. to attend the BSM. This event also provides an opportunity for the students and the other participants to understand the pharma machinery sector through the mega pharma machinery expo which going to be held during the IPC.

Dr Appaji informed that to encourage more participants to join this BSM, Pharmexcil has ensured automatic registration of all the registered Pharmexcil delegates as VIP delegate of IPC enabling them to attend all IPC programmes for three days. Along with this, all the participants can also have the opportunities to attend various pharma symposiums, scientific seminars and presentations during the meet. Another facility that Pharmexcil is providing to all the participates of the IPC is that if they want to participate at the BSM they will be given the option of on-spot registration on discount rates.

He said, “IPC provides a perfect opportunity for the students to not only to understand the industry but also interact with many pharma companies who are present at the venue. But now with the BSM it is an added advantage to both the students and research assistants as they will be able to interact and  share information with foreign delegates and get to know about the actual process involved in the export of pharma products by understand the rules and regulations needed to be followed for the same.”