Pharma Clusters Roundtable with DCGI to Be Held at Panjab University on June 9

Chandigarh, June 6, 2025: The PU-IIT Ropar Regional Accelerator for Holistic Innovations Foundation (PI-RAHI), the Northern Region Science & Technology Cluster, will host a strategic roundtable on June 9, 2025, at Golden Jubilee Hall, Panjab University, in collaboration with the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). The event marks the launch of Syn-Pharma: A Novel Platform to Synergize Northern Pharma Clusters through R&D and Innovation.
Drugs Controller General of India Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi will chair the roundtable, in which leading pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, regulators, and innovation ecosystem stakeholders from across the Northern region will participate. The aim is to strengthen industry–academia partnerships, foster indigenous innovation, and chart actionable strategies to enhance the region's pharma competitiveness.
The University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Panjab University, and National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali are the lead academic partners, contributing to the development of a regional action plan for boosting pharmaceutical research, technology adoption, and collaborative development.
Speaking about the initiative, PU Vice Chancellor Prof. Renu Vig said, “I am happy to note that more than 60 pharmaceutical companies and industry stakeholders are expected to participate in the roundtable, signifying the huge opportunities in collaborative innovation and R&D-driven growth. Syn-Pharma will play a critical role in advancing the region’s pharma capabilities and positioning Northern India as a hub for high-impact pharmaceutical innovation.”
Northern India is home to some of the country’s most significant pharmaceutical manufacturing hubs, including Baddi, Mohali, and other emerging locations, collectively contributing a substantial share of India’s drug formulation and export capacity. Despite their industrial scale, these clusters face persistent challenges such as limited R&D–industry integration, high dependency on imported Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), and inadequate testing infrastructure.
Through the Syn-Pharma roundtable, PI-RAHI aims to act as an enabler of structured, cross-sectoral engagement. The event will facilitate R&D institutions in showcasing key technologies and innovations ready for industry application, while industry leaders will highlight their most pressing technological needs. This direct exchange is expected to foster targeted partnerships, joint development projects, and actionable roadmaps.
In addition to knowledge-sharing, the Syn-Pharma roundtable will also spotlight successful technology adoption stories from the region, explore scalable R&D collaborations, and outline pathways for funding access, IP co-development, and commercialization.
PI-RAHI, functioning under the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, and operating on the triple helix model (academia–industry–government), aims to act as a national model for mission-driven cluster-based innovation. Syn-Pharma represents a focused intervention to position Northern India as a leader in pharmaceutical innovation and technology-led competitiveness.