CPhI & P-MEC India 2018 move to Indian capital

The India Expo Mart brings the event closer to Indian regulatory and legislative hub and will encourage international audiences

CPhI & P-MEC India, organised by UBM has announced that the 12th edition of Asia’s largest pharma exhibition is moving to the India Expo Mart, New Delhi. The new venue will see the exhibition now hosted in a single venue, bringing it closer to the Indian regulatory and legislative capital. New Delhi is also the country’s main international transport hub and will encourage an increased international attendance. In total, more than 50,000 people from 122 countries are expected, along with nearly 1,500 exhibitors.

CPhI & P-MEC India comes with the backing of the Delhi-based Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) – the organisation behind key Government international strategies such as ‘Made in India’. Yogesh Mudras, MD, UBM India commented “the shift to the Delhi-NCR region, in close geographical proximity to the policy makers, consulates and government bodies will enhance our community building efforts, as well as the creation of a robust pharma eco-system.”

Government investment plans includes a US$ 640 million venture capital fund to boost drug discovery and strengthen pharma infrastructure and the ‘Pharma Vision 2020’ initiative are creating new benefits for government engagement with industry. UBM cited rising international interest in the event as a key factor in the move, with numbers of both international and domestic exhibitors requiring a far bigger venue and on a single site.

Mudras adds, “I am delighted that CPhI & P-MEC India will be held this year at India Expo Mart, Greater Noida – it’s the flagship platform for the Indian pharma industry and one of the world’s leading Pharma networking events. It’s also a major international hub, with India’s largest airport, and this venue change is looking ahead to future audience needs.”

The venue change is also seen as a boost to domestically focused markets by bringing a wider remit of attendees and greater access to national regulatory pathways. The country registers the second largest Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs) globally and is the world’s leader in Drug Master Files (DMFs) applications, so access to regulatory expertise has never been greater.

The 2018 edition will also feature India Pharma Week (returning for a third year), with 10 unique events and activities spanning the Indian Capital. These include dynamic engagements such as the Pharma Leader’s Golf Pre-Connect Congress, Plant Visits, Women in Pharma – Power Breakfast, India Pharma Awards, Networking Evening, and a closed-door CEO Roundtable, amongst others.

The ultimate goal of all these intertwined events is to help nurture a complete pharma ecosystem in India and better enable networking with the country’s corridors of power. In fact, the recent CPhI Global Pharma Index showed India represents global pharma’s second fastest growing market and praised the Delhi based regulator, the CDSCO (Central Drugs Standard Control Organization) for its efforts in introducing a certification programme and initiatives for increased compliance. Impressively, 52 per cent of international respondents believed the CDSCO is moving toward comparability with the regulatory standards of the EMA and FDA.