India is seeking closer cooperation among global medicine regulators, backed by its expanding network of trade agreements, to improve access to affordable medicines and strengthen its position as a global pharmaceutical innovation hub, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday.
Speaking at the two-day Global Drug Regulatory Conclave (GDRC) 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, Goyal said stronger international regulatory collaboration would help ensure faster access to high-quality and affordable medicines for patients worldwide.
The conclave, India's flagship international forum on pharmaceutical regulatory cooperation and convergence, has brought together heads and senior officials of national drug regulatory authorities from across the world.
Goyal expressed hope that the event would strengthen collaboration between the Indian pharmaceutical industry, global regulators and other stakeholders, contributing to a more resilient, innovative and patient-centric global healthcare ecosystem.
He said the Global Drug Regulatory Conclave 2026 would reinforce India's position as a global pharmaceutical innovation hub through stronger international cooperation.
Organised by Pharmexcil, the conclave focuses on strengthening India's pharmaceutical regulatory ecosystem.
Earlier, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, in his virtual address, said India is building a future-ready drug regulatory framework to accelerate healthcare innovation while maintaining the highest standards of patient safety, quality and efficacy.
Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), announced that the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) will roll out the first phase of an end-to-end digital drug regulatory platform within the next 18 months, marking a significant step towards modernising India's pharmaceutical regulatory system.
In a separate post on X, Goyal also highlighted that India has signed nine landmark free trade agreements (FTAs), providing access to a $60 trillion market and contributing to a 73 per cent rise in exports over the past five years.
He said India's trade transformation reflects the government's focus on expanding global economic partnerships and strengthening the country's global trade presence.
With Inputs From IANS
