Rashmi Pimpale is an industry professional with over two decades of experience in pharmaceutical sciences, industrial R&D, intellectual property management, and leading government initiatives, highlights how AI, machine learning, and digital health technologies are redefining India’s life sciences landscape. These tools accelerate drug discovery through rapid target identification, virtual screening, and predictive analytics while enabling personalized medicine and optimized clinical trials. Startups like MolVerse, Algen BioTechnologies, and Centella are pioneering breakthroughs in molecular modeling, CRISPR-based therapeutics, and generative AI for drug design.
Digital health innovations including telemedicine, remote monitoring, and AI-powered hospital management, are expanding access and improving patient outcomes across urban and rural India. By integrating big data, secure infrastructure, and advanced analytics, the sector is poised for efficient, scalable, and patient-centric growth, driving India toward a global life sciences leadership role.
Nagalakshmi Shetty, a recognized industry leader with over two decades of experience, serves on the SCDM India Board and was its first female India Chair. She highlights India’s emergence as a preferred hub for Global Capability Centres (GCCs), particularly in the life sciences and healthcare sectors. Leveraging a highly skilled workforce, cost advantages, government support, and a robust innovation ecosystem, India hosts over 1,700 GCCs, with pharma and healthcare companies like Novartis, Sanofi, and Amgen establishing significant operations. GCCs have evolved from cost-saving units to strategic, innovation-driven centres handling end-to-end functions, from drug development and clinical data management to regulatory and pharmacovigilance services.
Shetty emphasizes that effective GCC operations require strong local leadership, clear governance, and seamless collaboration with global teams. By investing in talent development and fostering a supportive ecosystem, healthcare GCCs in India are not only optimizing global operations but also driving innovation, enhancing operational excellence, and shaping the future of life sciences delivery. This positions India as a strategic hub for healthcare innovation, capable of balancing efficiency with long-term value creation.
Rajiv Gupta has over two decades of experience driving profitable growth in competitive markets, highlights India’s rapidly evolving medical device sector, where 70 percent of devices are still imported. He emphasizes the shift toward local manufacturing, cost-effective innovation, and leveraging government initiatives like Make in India, PLI schemes, and Medical Device Parks to enhance affordability and reduce import dependence.
Gupta underscores the importance of aligning product development with local needs, focusing on consumables, disposables, and increasingly sophisticated devices using technologies like 3D printing, CNC machining, and robotics. By adopting pharma-inspired strategies, fostering public-private collaboration, and investing in R&D with a customer-first approach, India’s medical device ecosystem is poised for scalable, cost-effective growth while ensuring quality and accessibility across diverse healthcare settings.
Amit Sehgal, with over two decades of experience in life sciences, biotechnology, and healthcare, highlights the pressing quality challenges in India’s rapidly expanding scientific sector. Rising demand has put significant pressure on manufacturers, making consistent, high-quality lab solutions critical. Sehgal emphasizes that quality underpins reliability, reproducibility, and credibility in research, directly impacting innovation, patient safety, and environmental outcomes.
He notes that quality-driven approaches enable laboratories to pursue innovation confidently, from drug development to biologics manufacturing. Leveraging robust quality assurance systems, adherence to international standards, and sustainable practices, Avantor and other industry leaders are ensuring dependable, precise, and scalable lab solutions. This focus on quality is essential for India’s scientific sector to drive discovery, sustainability, and global competitiveness.
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