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Over 1,000 industry leaders to converge in Bhubaneswar for Odisha Pharma Summit on December 16
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Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
December 09 , 2025
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The much-anticipated Odisha Pharma Summit 2025, a high-stakes event aimed at positioning the state as the pharmaceutical powerhouse of Eastern India, has been officially rescheduled.
The summit will now be held on December 16, 2025, at the Plumeria Hall of Hotel Taj Vivanta in Bhubaneswar, sources informed Pharmabiz.
This high-level stakeholder interaction, chaired under the leadership of the Chief Minister, is designed to shape the next phase of growth for the pharma and medical devices manufacturing sector in the state, with an ambitious goal of attracting investments in the pharmaceutical field.
The Odisha Pharma Summit 2025 was initially scheduled for November 20, 2025, in Bhubaneswar, as planned following the ‘Make-in-Odisha Conclave 2025’ (Utkarsh Odisha) held earlier this year. However, according to sources from the drug control department, the summit was postponed to the mid-December date due to the Bihar elections. The new date on December 16, 2025, ensures that key policymakers and industry leaders, including those from major pharma associations like IDMA, CIPI, IPA, and PMA, can fully dedicate their attention to the state's ambitious agenda.
“This summit serves as a decisive platform to showcase the state’s aggressive push into the life sciences sector. The government is keen to attract major pharma companies from North and Western India, regions traditionally strong in the sector, to invest in Odisha. The event is being championed under the leadership of the chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, aiming to align the state’s industrial goals with the national vision of Viksit Bharat and Purvodaya, with a renewed commitment to pharmaceutical industrialisation”, said Chandan Giri, coordinator of the Odisha Pharmaceutical Development Cell (OPDC), a strategic body formed by the CM for the development of the pharma sector.
Further solidifying its commitment, the state government has formally notified the Odisha Pharmaceutical Development Cell (OPDC), operating directly under the chief minister's Office. This six-member, multidisciplinary body is chaired by the chief secretary and led by nodal officer Mamina Patnaik, the state drug controller, is the central authority for policy implementation and investor facilitation.
According to Chandan Giri, the Cell has played a crucial role in bringing the first wave of investor interest, revealing that 20 companies have already signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the state government, paving the way for substantial crores of rupees worth of investment. Out of 1,200 formulation and medical devices manufacturing industries invited, over 400 companies have confirmed their participation in the summit.
The summit’s central attraction is the soon-to-be-released Odisha Pharmaceutical Policy 2025, which the Department of Drugs Control Administration (DCA) has submitted for review. The draft policy is designed to be highly investor-friendly, encouraging both domestic and international players by offering a slew of unmatched incentives. Key provisions include an uncapped 30 per cent Capital Investment Subsidy, concessional land in upcoming Pharma & MedTech Parks, and generous Employee-Linked Incentives (ELI). This robust policy framework is expected to attract large-scale players to set up formulation, API, medical devices, and biotech companies in the state.
Talking to Pharmabiz, Giri said the strategic plan includes earmarking over 650 acres for dedicated pharma parks near Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and Berhampur, complete with plug-and-play infrastructure and Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs). This move is intended to address the current modest presence in the state, which presently houses 22 formulation manufacturing units, 15 medical devices companies, and a single API industry. The establishment of the OPDC, along with the Central Drug Testing Laboratory (CDTL) and an upcoming CDSCO Sub-Zone, ensures strong regulatory support and ease of business, further supported by an industrial land bank exceeding 1.49 lakh acres.
Giri emphasised that the summit will effectively showcase the state's unwavering commitment to transforming Odisha into a pharmaceutical hub in the eastern part of the country. The state’s natural advantages, such as excellent logistics via the planned Green Corridor connecting Dhamra, Paradip, and Gopalpur, are being highlighted as key benefits for global exports and strong access to the Eastern Indian market. Beyond manufacturing, the Summit places special emphasis on startups and SMEs, recognizing that the future of healthcare innovation lies in agile, technology-driven enterprises.
Job creation and talent development remain central to the economic agenda, with the regional pharmaceutical sector projected to generate over 30,000 skilled jobs in R&D, QA/QC, and regulatory affairs over the next five years, he added.
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