India seeks closer cooperation among the world's medicine regulators: Piyush Goyal
New Delhi, July 31
India seeks closer cooperation among the world's medicine regulators, supported by its expanding network of trade agreements, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday.
This will enable faster access to high-quality, affordable medicines for patients worldwide while strengthening India's position as a global hub for pharmaceutical innovation, the minister posted on X.
The two-day 'Global Drug Regulatory Conclave 2026' commenced in Bharat Mandapam here and as India's flagship international forum on pharmaceutical regulatory cooperation and convergence, "the conclave brings together the heads and senior officials of national drug regulatory authorities from across the world," Goyal noted.
He wished the conclave great success in fostering deeper collaboration among the Indian pharmaceutical industry, global regulators, and stakeholders, paving the way for a more resilient, innovative, and patient-centric global healthcare ecosystem.
Goyal said the Global Drug Regulatory Conclave 2026 will strengthen international cooperation and reinforce India's position as a global pharmaceutical innovation hub.
Meanwhile, the 'GDRC 2026', organised by Pharmexcil, focuses on strengthening India's pharmaceutical regulatory ecosystem.
India is building a future-ready drug regulatory framework to accelerate healthcare innovation while maintaining the highest standards of patient safety, quality, and efficacy, health Minister J.P. Nadda said in his virtual address earlier.
The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi said the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) will roll out the first phase of an end-to-end digital drug regulatory platform within the next 18 months, marking a significant step in modernising India's pharmaceutical regulatory ecosystem.
In a separate X post, the minister said India has signed nine landmark free trade agreements (FTAs) with $60 trillion in market access and 73 per cent surge in exports in past 5 years.
"Decisive leadership delivers decisive outcomes, and India's trade transformation under PM Narendra Modi is a powerful testament to that," said Goyal.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone who works in global health policy, this is a big deal. India's regulatory standards have been improving steadily, and closer cooperation means faster approvals for life-saving drugs. The digital platform for CDSCO is a much-needed modernization too.
Great news for Indian pharma companies. We've been exporting medicines globally for decades, but regulatory hurdles often slowed things down. This conclave is a step in the right direction. Hope the digital platform ensures transparency at every stage. 👍
I appreciate the government's push for innovation, but I hope the emphasis on "faster access" doesn't compromise safety. Indian medicines have faced quality concerns in the past. Let's ensure the new framework prioritizes patient safety over speed.
This is excellent news for global healthcare. India has been supplying affordable medicines to developing and developed nations alike. Closer regulatory cooperation will only build more trust in "Make in India" pharma. Well done, Minister Goyal!
I hope this conclave translates into real action. We've seen many ambitious announcements, but the key is implementation. The 18-month timeline for the digital platform is good, but let's track progress and hold them accountable.
V Vivek B India's pharma We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.