Nadda's Health Vision: How India Became a Global Pharma Powerhouse

Speaking at the event, Nadda underlined the timeliness of the Assembly's theme, noting that it reflects the country's growing commitment to holistic health and its alignment with global priorities, as per an official release.

"'One Earth, One Health, One Future' is not just a theme; it is the foundation of our approach to strengthening health security and enhancing preparedness against future pandemics," he said.

Highlighting India's progress in health research and innovation over the past decade, the Union Health Minister stated that India has emerged as a major global player in pharmaceuticals and medical science. He recalled the country's achievements in vaccine development, including indigenous COVID-19 vaccines such as Covaxin, Covishield, Corbevax and the world's first intranasal COVID-19 vaccine.

"India developed and supplied vaccines to more than a hundred countries, reaffirming our role as a trusted global partner," he noted.

JP Nadda emphasised that India has also made strong advances in next-generation vaccine platforms, including mRNA, DNA, viral vectors and biosimilars, which have strengthened the nation's capacity for rapid response to emerging health threats.

Speaking about India's strides in diagnostics, Nadda said, "In the diagnostics sector, India has become an innovation hub, powered by our talented researchers, growing start-up ecosystem and strong technological capabilities. Solutions like TrueNat, PathoDetect and CRISPR-based tests have made diagnostics faster, more accurate and more accessible."

He also highlighted the role of INSACOG in genomic surveillance and how platforms such as COWIN showcased India's ability to build high-quality, population-scale digital health systems.

Referring to the National One Health Mission, Nadda described it as one of India's most significant steps toward pandemic preparedness. The Mission integrates 16 different Central and State Ministries/Departments spanning human health, animal health, environment, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, defence, earth sciences, space sciences and disaster management.

"The National One Health Mission is a unique example of whole-of-government and whole-of-society collaboration. For the first time, we have brought together all relevant ministries and departments to work collectively for the health of humans, animals, plants and the environment," he stated.

The Union Minister expressed satisfaction that the Mission has already begun implementing key activities, including integrated surveillance across slaughterhouses, bird sanctuaries, zoos and wastewater systems in major cities to monitor antimicrobial resistance and infectious pathogens. He added, "Joint outbreak investigations and the development of medical countermeasures are underway, strengthening our pandemic preparedness architecture."

He further highlighted the establishment of a national network of 23 BSL-3 and BSL-4 laboratories under the Mission.

"These high-containment labs are our first line of defence against emerging or mutating pathogens. They will significantly enhance our ability to detect threats early and respond swiftly," he said.

The Minister emphasised that the One Health approach will enable early warning systems for epidemics and pandemics, support integrated interventions and help India remain future-ready. He congratulated all stakeholders for organising the Assembly and noted that the Conclave would serve as a valuable platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing and cross-sectoral partnerships.

"This Assembly represents the spirit of collaboration, innovation and preparedness. I wish the event great success and hope it paves the way for a safer and healthier future for all," he concluded.

On this occasion, the BSL3 Laboratory Network SOP Compendium was released, which is aimed at ensuring that laboratories adhere to harmonised protocols.

Meanwhile, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava (HFW) also graced the event and delivered a keynote address at the 60th Annual Summit 2025 of OPPI. She highlighted the importance of strong partnerships between ministries and the pharmaceutical industry to enhance public health outcomes and address global health challenges.

A coffee table book showcasing OPPI's 60-year journey was also launched at the event. She further emphasised the need to foster greater innovation in the pharmaceutical sector and transition from volume-based to value-based production.

She urged OPPI to intensify its focus on R&D within India, positioning the country as a global centre of excellence in pharmaceuticals.

Meanwhile, Joint Secretary of the Department of Health Research, Anu Nagar, Dr Nivedita Gupta, Scientist G and Head, Communicable Diseases, ICMR, senior officials of the Indian Government and representatives from International Organisations and partner agencies were also present on the occasion.

- ANI