Introduction

The ChemPharma R&D Summit 2026 marks the inaugural edition of a dedicated platform focused on redefining the role of research, development, and innovation in shaping the future of the chemicals and pharmaceutical industries.

At a time when global markets are undergoing rapid technological, regulatory, and geopolitical shifts, R&D has emerged as a strategic differentiator— driving competitiveness, resilience, sustainability, and long-term value creation.

For India, this represents a critical opportunity to transition from process excellence and cost leadership to science-led innovation, advanced product development, and global IP creation.

The first edition of the Summit brings together senior policymakers, industry CXOs, R&D and innovation leaders, scientists, academia, investors, and technology partners to engage in high-level dialogue on building next-generation R&D capabilities.

Discussions will span advanced chemistry and materials, pharmaceutical and biopharma innovation, digital and AI-enabled R&D, translational research, laboratories, regulatory science, and collaborative innovation ecosystems.

Designed as a strategic and action-oriented forum, the ChemPharma R&D Summit 2026 aims to bridge policy intent with industry execution, while fostering cross-sector collaboration to accelerate discovery, reduce development timelines, and enhance global competitiveness.

As its inaugural edition, the ChemPharma R&D Summit 2026 sets the foundation for a long-term thought leadership platform positioning India as a global hub for next-generation innovation.

Speaker Presentations

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2

Days

20+

Knowledge Sessions

80+

Eminent Speakers

400+

Top Executives

OVERVIEW

The chemicals and pharmaceuticals industries are undergoing a fundamental transformation driven by rapid advances in process innovation, digital R&D, green chemistry, biologics, specialty chemicals, and advanced materials.

Chemicals and pharmaceuticals are strategic industries—critical to healthcare security, manufacturing resilience, exports, and economic growth. Globally, R&D is increasingly shaping geopolitical competitiveness, supply chain realignment, and technological leadership.

For India, this transition represents both an opportunity and a necessity—to move beyond cost competitiveness and emerge as a global innovation hub.

While India has built strong capabilities in manufacturing and generics, R&D intensity, translational research, scale-up innovation, and academia–industry collaboration remain critical gaps.

For India, the next phase of growth must be driven by innovation-led value creation, not cost arbitrage alone. While the country has built strong manufacturing and generic capabilities, R&D scale, risk appetite, policy coherence, and capital allocation remain decisive challenges.

Global supply chain realignments, tightening regulatory frameworks, sustainability imperatives, and increasing patent complexity further elevate the strategic importance of R&D.

This ChemPharma R&D Summit 2026 is designed as a high-level policy and leadership platform to align government vision, regulatory frameworks, and CXO strategies toward building a globally competitive R&D ecosystem for chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

Speakers

Prof. M. M. Sharma
Prof. M. M. Sharma
Emeritus Professor of Eminence
Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai
Dr. Sivaram Swaminathan
Dr. Sivaram Swaminathan
Professor Emeritus
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune
Prof. Bhalchandra Bhanage
Prof. Bhalchandra Bhanage
Vice Chancellor
The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara
Mr. Sudarshan Jain
Mr. Sudarshan Jain
Secretary General
Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance
Dr. Vishal Choudhary
Dr. Vishal Choudhary
Scientist 'F'
Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Govt. of India
Dr. Kamlesh Pai Fondekar
Dr. Kamlesh Pai Fondekar
Head - R&D
Godrej Agrovet
Dr. Anil Koul
Dr. Anil Koul
Group Chief Scientific Officer
Mankind Pharma | Bharat Serums and Vaccines
Dr. Debabrata Rautaray
Dr. Debabrata Rautaray
Sr. Vice President and Chief Product Development & Innovation Officer
DCM Shriram Chemicals Innovation Centre
Dr. Anubhav Saxena
Dr. Anubhav Saxena
Chief - R&D Office
Pidilite Industries
Mr. Ankit Aggarwal
Mr. Ankit Aggarwal
Head Global IT - R&D & Biotechnology
Lupin
Dr. Amit Rastogi
Dr. Amit Rastogi
Executive Vice President & Chief Technology Officer
Coromandel International
Dr. Surender Kumar Dhingra
Dr. Surender Kumar Dhingra
Sr. Vice President & Head - R&D
Jubilant Ingrevia
Dr. Prashant Puri
Dr. Prashant Puri
Head - R&D
Deepak Fertilizers and Petrochemicals Corporation
Mr. Garvit Jain
Mr. Garvit Jain
AVP - Strategy
Aditya Birla Chemicals
Dr. Rahul Misra
Dr. Rahul Misra
Sr. Director
Lubrizol Additives Technology-IMEA
Dr. Amol A. Kulkarni
Dr. Amol A. Kulkarni
Chief Scientist & Head, Chemical Engineering & Process Development Division
CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory
Ms. Trapti Kalra
Ms. Trapti Kalra
Cofounder & CTO
SarthhakAI
Dr. Richard Lobo
Dr. Richard Lobo
Global Head Business Excellence, Innovation, R&D | Chief Ethics Counselor
Tata Chemicals
Dr. Jagannath Jadhav
Dr. Jagannath Jadhav
Assistant Vice President (R&D and Business Development)
Indo Amines
Mr. Pravin Prashant
Mr. Pravin Prashant
Executive Editor
Indian Chemical News
Prof. Aniruddha B. Pandit
Prof. Aniruddha B. Pandit
Vice Chancellor
Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai
Prof. V. N. Rajasekharan Pillai
Prof. V. N. Rajasekharan Pillai
Advisor & Professor of Eminence
Reliance Jio Institute
Mr. Rajesh Panchal
Mr. Rajesh Panchal
Head IT & AI
INOX Air Products
Dr. Dinesh Shinde
Dr. Dinesh Shinde
AVP – Formulation Development & Tech Transfer
Wockhardt
Mr. Satvik Kalra
Mr. Satvik Kalra
Cofounder & COO
SarthhakAI
Dr. Shrikant J. Wagh
Dr. Shrikant J. Wagh
Provost
UPL University of Sustainable Technology
 Mr. Murari Mohan Jha
Mr. Murari Mohan Jha
Editor
Indian Chemical News
Dr. Jignesh Kanojia
Dr. Jignesh Kanojia
Chief Manager, (Group Leader)
Deepak Group
Dr. Raja Kaliappan
Dr. Raja Kaliappan
Head – Research & Development
Godrej Industries (Chemicals)
Dr. Marco Busch
Dr. Marco Busch
Global Head – Ag Research and Development
PI Industries
Dr. Rahul Nabar
Dr. Rahul Nabar
Adjunct Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering
IIT Bombay
Mr. Janak Nabar
Mr. Janak Nabar
Chief Executive Officer
Centre for Technology, Innovation and Economic Research (CTIER)
Mr. Nitin Sharma
Mr. Nitin Sharma
CEO & General Manager
Clariant IGL Specialty Chemicals
Mr. Prasanna Wadke
Mr. Prasanna Wadke
Head - Digital
Rallis India
Mr. Varoon Contractor
Mr. Varoon Contractor
Director
Detox Group of Companies
Mr. Prasenjit Purkait
Mr. Prasenjit Purkait
Head - R&D
Clariant IGL Specialty Chemicals
Mr. Abijar Bhori
Mr. Abijar Bhori
Associate Vice President and Head of Purification Process Development
Enzene Biosciences
Dr. Manish M. Khandagale
Dr. Manish M. Khandagale
Senior Field Application Specialist
Revvity Signals
Dr. Dhiraj Singh Yadav
Dr. Dhiraj Singh Yadav
Vice President - Head Research & Development, Technology Transfer
Excel Industries
Dr. Kiran Marthak
Dr. Kiran Marthak
Director - Medical Affairs, Phase-1 and Regulatory Affairs
Veeda Life Sciences
Dr. Parizad A. Elchidana
Dr. Parizad A. Elchidana
Principal Technical Consultant - Pharma
ACG Worldwide
Dr. Ganesh Sangle
Dr. Ganesh Sangle
Vice President & Program Director - Innovation Portfolio (Drug Discovery)
Alkem Laboratories
Dr. Ravikrishna Chebolu
Dr. Ravikrishna Chebolu
Distinguished Scientist and Head
CSIR Innovation Complex, Mumbai
Mr. Jagadeesh Nadigoti
Mr. Jagadeesh Nadigoti
Lead- Formulations R&D
Aurigene Pharmaceutical Services
Ms. Anamika
Ms. Anamika
GM – IS–Strategy & Innovation
HPCL
Mr. Rahul Koul
Mr. Rahul Koul
Editor
Indian Pharma Post
Prof. Anup K. Ghosh
Prof. Anup K. Ghosh
Professor (Emeritus)
Indian Institute of Packaging, Delhi
Dr. Sushant Kumar
Dr. Sushant Kumar
Head – R&D
ImmunoACT
Mr. Sachin Mishra
Mr. Sachin Mishra
President
Akumentis Healthcare
Dr. Maneesh Kumar Sharma
Dr. Maneesh Kumar Sharma
Associate Vice President-NPD/R&D
Silox India
Dr. K. Malolanarasimhan
Dr. K. Malolanarasimhan
Sr. VP & Head (R&D)
Gujarat Fluorochemicals (INOXGFL Group)
Mr. Harshad Deshpande
Mr. Harshad Deshpande
AVP – R&D, Advanced Materials
Aditya Birla Chemicals
Mr. Venkatadri Ranganathan
Mr. Venkatadri Ranganathan
Ex Chief Innovation & Digital Officer
Tata Chemicals
Mr. Saroj Kant Roy
Mr. Saroj Kant Roy
Executive Director – Petrochemicals (Aromatics & Chemicals)
IndianOil Corporation
Mr. Satish Makkina
Mr. Satish Makkina
Head - Biologics
Procell Biologics
Ms. Aditee Kambli
Ms. Aditee Kambli
General Manager - R&D Biotech
BSV Mankind
Dr. Milind Vaidya
Dr. Milind Vaidya
President - Technology & Growth
Laxmi Organic Industries
Dr. Vitthal G. Gund
Dr. Vitthal G. Gund
President & Chief Technology Officer
Angeel Oak Speciality Chemtech
Ms. Rupali Aher
Ms. Rupali Aher
Director - Digital Transformation
Cipla
Dr. Shuvankar Ballav
Dr. Shuvankar Ballav
Head, Regulatory Affairs - Advanced Biotech Lab
Ipca Laboratories
Ms. Komal Shah Bhukhanwala
Ms. Komal Shah Bhukhanwala
Executive Director
SML Limited
Dr. Karanveer Aneja
Dr. Karanveer Aneja
AVP – R&D
Epsilon Advanced Materials
Ms. Sheela Gauli
Ms. Sheela Gauli
Associate
Detox Corporation
Mr. Sharad Kholambe
Mr. Sharad Kholambe
Lead - Portfolio Management and Business Development
Sun Pharma
Dr. Giriraj Acharya
Dr. Giriraj Acharya
Head- Analytical Science and Partnership, Biologics
Mumbai Biocluster
 Mr. Deepak Shah
Mr. Deepak Shah
Chairman
SML Ltd.
Dr. Akshay Kant Chaturvedi
Dr. Akshay Kant Chaturvedi
Corporate Head-IPR
Gujarat Fluorochemicals
Ms. Aashish Kasad
Ms. Aashish Kasad
Senior Partner & National Leader (Chemicals & Agri sector – India)
EY
Mr. Sunil Jain
Mr. Sunil Jain
Chief Technology Officer
Calibre Chemicals

Partners

Platinum Partner
Gold Partners
Associate Partner
Enterprise AI partner

Conference Agenda*

Conference Agenda

KEY SECTORS COVERED

Basic Chemicals
Organic Chemicals
Inorganic Chemicals
Specialty Chemicals
Agrochemicals
Alkali Chemicals
Clean and Green Chemicals
Hydrogen
Bio-based Energy
EV & Battery
Fertilizers
Advanced Materials
Dyes & Dye Stuffs
Dye Intermediates
Pigments
Polymers
Aromatics
Plastics
Petrochemicals
Gas
ESG/HSE

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

CXOs, CTOs, CSOs, and R&D Heads

Pharmaceutical & chemical manufacturers

Specialty chemicals and advanced materials companies

Policymakers and regulatory authorities

Academia, research institutions, and national labs

Start-ups, incubators, and venture capital firms

Technology providers and CROs/CRDMOs

Reasons to Participate

Reasons to Participate

  • Gain valuable market insights from experts
  • Understand manufacturing megatrends
  • Network with industry leaders
  • Know new technologies, innovations and solutions
  • Develop new partnership and collaborations
  • Learn about the latest research and new product ideas
Chemical Industry

KEY DISCUSSION TOPICS

R&D Strategy & Global Competitiveness

Process Innovation & Scale-Up Excellence

Digital, AI & Data-Driven R&D

Green Chemistry & Sustainable R&D

From Discovery to Commercialization

Advanced Therapies & New Chemical Modalities

Regulatory Science & Quality by Design

Financing Innovation & Risk Capital

Academia–Industry–Sta rt-up Collaboration

Building Global R&D Champions

Talent, Culture & Future R&D Workforce

CONFERENCE SPEAKERS

The profile of speakers is always critical to engage qualitative and quantitative delegate participation. As such, we take utmost care to address pressing issues and design a sharp conference module that would capture attention of knowledgeable, experienced and well-informed industry experts.

EVENT & AUDIENCE PROMOTION

The profile of speakers is always critical to engage qualitative and quantitative delegate participation. As such, we take utmost care to address pressing issues and design a sharp conference module that would capture attention of knowledgeable, experienced and well-informed industry experts.

REGISTRATION DETAILS

Entry to the summit is by invite only and requires prior online registration for those wishing to attend the summit. Organizers have the right to decline or withhold nominations which do not qualify for complimentary entry passes. For guaranteed admission, paid passes can be booked @ INR 15,000 per entry for Indian delegates and USD 200 per entry for International delegates. Each delegate package shall include delegate kit, access to conference and plenary sessions, networking expo, tea/coffee, lunch & dinner. All prices are exclusive of taxes; group discounts apply

For queries, please contact:

MUSKAN CHAWLA
Marketing Executive
muskan@indianchemicalnews.com
+91 - 9711820726

ABOUT US

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Indian Chemical News (ICN) stands as the definitive digital hub for India's expanding chemical, petrochemical, and allied sectors. It delivers independent news, in-depth analyses, policy updates, leader interviews, and market insights spanning chemicals, petrochemicals, energy, and sustainability.
As a vital resource for strategic decision-making, ICN guides industry players through a rapidly expanding market that mirrors India's rising global prominence. Its comprehensive coverage includes digitalization, R&D, supply chain dynamics, and niche segments like paints, dyes, and EV batteries.
Furthermore, ICN highlights government initiatives promoting indigenous manufacturing and publishes an annual "Chemical Industry Outlook" report featuring expert perspectives and key trends.

Indian Pharma Post is an online platform that provides news and insights on the pharmaceutical industry. It reports on the latest news updates, drug discoveries, and research reports.
It highlights trending topics in the entire healthcare universe and lays emphasis on the newest practices across the spectrum of the industry.
It houses a team of experts who will provide insights on policies that shape developments in the industry.

Speaker Nomination

PRAVIN PRASHANT
Executive Editor
pravin@indianchemicalnews.com
+91 - 9899004608


MURARI MOHAN JHA
Editor
murari@indianchemicalnews.com
+91 - 9818330861

Branding & Sponsorship

YOGESH JOSHI
Head - Business Development
yogesh@indianchemicalnews.com
+91 - 9811431951


SANYA NAUGAIN
Marketing Executive
sanya@indianchemicalnews.com
+91 - 9971146014

Delegate Registration

MUSKAN CHAWLA
Marketing Executive
muskan@indianchemicalnews.com
+91 - 9711820726

REGISTER NOW