The upcoming ChemPharma R&D Summit 2026, scheduled for October 27–28, 2026, at the Courtyard by Marriott Mumbai International Airport, is set to host a high-powered panel discussion titled “Specialty Chemicals: R&D Strategies to Transition from Commodity to Specialty Excellence.”

As the global chemical ecosystem increasingly rewards high-margin customization over high-volume standardisation, this session will serve as a critical strategic roadmap for enterprises aiming to scale up the value chain.

The panel brings together an elite lineup of industry leaders and innovators, including: Dr. Rahul Misra, Sr. Director, Lubrizol Additives Technology – IMEA; Dr. Dhiraj Singh Yadav, Vice President - Head Research & Development and Technology, Excel Industries; Garvit Jain, AVP - Strategy, Aditya Birla Chemicals and Saroj Kant Roy, Executive Director – Petrochemicals (Aromatics & Chemicals), IndianOil Corporation.

The session will be steered by Pravin Prashant, Executive Editor of Indian Chemical News, who will guide the panel through the core operational and technological transformations required to achieve specialty excellence.

Key themes will include Customer Co-Creation, which shifts the focus from selling molecules to solving specific client problems, and building an Agile Piloting Infrastructure to rapidly scale laboratory breakthroughs. The integration of Digitalization and AI will be examined as a tool to accelerate discovery phases, while Green Chemistry Integration ensures sustainable compliance without compromising on performance. Furthermore, the panel will dissect how Value-Based Pricing Data protects margins, how robust IP and Regulatory Moats secure market exclusivity, and why intensive Talent Upskilling is vital to cultivate a workforce capable of managing advanced chemical architectures.

Jointly organized by Indian Chemical News and Indian Pharma Post, this session bridges the gap between R&D intent and commercial execution, setting the blueprint for the next generation of chemical manufacturing.