CII, ICON host strategic dialogue on Indian pharma move toward US manufacturing
New Delhi: ICON, a US-based construction company in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII ) Telangana, has successfully concluded its first event in India, “PharmiCON” with the theme - Navigating the Road Ahead for US-Based Manufacturing at Hyderabad.
The gathering brought together senior industry leaders, policy representatives, and business stakeholders to discuss the evolving landscape of pharmaceutical manufacturing, with a special focus on the opportunities and challenges of expanding operations into the United States.
Mr. Sanjay Singh, Past Chairman, CII Telangana, and Mr. Chakravarthi AVPS, Convener, CII Telangana Pharma and Life Sciences Panel & Chairman & MD, Ecobliss India Private Limited, opened the evening with remarks that underscored the importance of resilience, global competitiveness, and the need for Indian companies to adapt to dynamic geopolitical and regulatory shifts.
In their address, Bhupendra Patel, CEO & Founder of ICON highlighted ICON’s commitment to supporting pharma and biotech companies in building state-of-the-art, compliant, and cost-competitive facilities in the United States. He stated, “At ICON, we bring more than 30 years of experience in construction and project delivery, including $300 million worth of completed projects across 200 sites and over 1 million sq. ft. of built facilities. Our expertise extends into life sciences, where we provide end-to-end solutions for biopharma manufacturing — from land acquisition and design to handover and operational support.”
The event also featured a special address by Venugopal Rao Sankineni, Vice President, Medical Devices – Policy & Investments, Telangana Lifesciences, Government of Telangana, who emphasized the role of Telangana as a catalyst for fostering global-scale pharma and medtech innovation.
A key highlight of the evening was the launch of the whitepaper “Changing Landscape: Indian Pharma’s Move Towards US-Based Manufacturing”, developed jointly by ICON and CII with Healthark as knowledge partner. The paper explored strategic imperatives for Indian pharma companies, including the implications of evolving US policies such as the IRA and BIOSECURE Act, opportunities in high-value segments like biologics and injectables, and the positioning of Indian players in an increasingly competitive market.
Two engaging panel discussions anchored the evening’s deliberations:
- “Navigating the Road Ahead for US-Based Manufacturing” highlighting the strategic opportunities, challenges, and long-term implications of Indian pharma investing in US facilities
- “Why Manufacturing Matters More Than Ever” panel explored how shifting geopolitics, evolving US policies, and rising biopharma investments are reshaping global supply chains and manufacturing strategies
The evening concluded with a summation by Chakravarthi AVPS, reinforcing the central message: Indian pharma stands at a critical inflection point, where timely investments in US-based manufacturing could unlock growth, trust, and competitiveness in the global life sciences value chain.
