The chemical and pharmaceutical sectors are standing at a critical crossroads as they balance decades-old physical infrastructure with the demands of modern, data-driven innovation. To address this pivotal shift, the upcoming ChemPharma R&D Summit 2026, scheduled for October 27–28, 2026, will host an essential panel discussion titled "Navigating Legacy Infrastructure Transitions in the Chemical Industry."

Organized jointly by Indian Chemical News and the Indian Pharma Post, the prestigious two-day summit will serve as a premier platform for industry leaders, researchers, and technology providers to map out the future of chemical research and manufacturing in India.

The panel brings together top-tier R&D leaders and technical experts who are actively managing large-scale infrastructure transformations. This session will dissect the complexities of modernizing aging physical frameworks without interrupting active commercial pipelines.

The session will feature: Dr. K. Malolanarasimhan, Senior VP & Head (R&D), Gujarat Fluorochemicals (INOXGFL Group); Dr. Milind Vaidya, President – Technology & Growth, Laxmi Organic Industries; Dr. Karanveer Aneja, AVP – R&D, Epsilon Advanced Materials and Dr. Jignesh Kanojia, Chief Manager (Group Leader), Deepak Group.

The high-level deliberation will be steered by Pravin Prashant, Executive Editor of India Chemical News, who will moderate the session and guide the dialogue toward actionable insights for the industry.

Core Agendas and Key Discussion Points

Transitioning away from legacy systems involves a delicate balance of capital, technology, and culture. The panellists will engage in deep-dive dialogues across six foundational pillars:

Bridging the Digital-Physical Divide in R&D Labs: Strategies to connect traditional laboratory hardware with advanced electronic lab notebooks (ELNs) and automated data-capture systems.

Modernizing Pilot Plants and Scale-Up Facilities: Retrofitting existing pilot facilities to ensure seamless tech transfer and faster time-to-market for new molecules.

AI and Machine Learning Integration Over Legacy Systems: Deploying predictive analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence on top of older, fragmented instrumentation.

Designing for Sustainability and Green Chemistry Rules: Aligning structural upgrades with strict net-zero targets, environmental regulations, and atom-economy principles.

Capital Allocation and Risk Management in Asset Lifecycles: Balancing the high financial costs of infrastructure overhauls against the operational risks of maintaining outdated systems.

The Human Element (Upskilling and Change Management): Training traditional lab technicians and engineers to operate in highly digitized, automated environments while managing resistance to organizational change.

The ChemPharma R&D Summit 2026 arrives at a crucial juncture for the Indian chemical landscape. As companies strive to move up the value chain into specialty chemicals and advanced materials, the insights from this session will provide a definitive blueprint for building agile, future-proof research and development ecosystems.