Conversations around Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients are changing in subtle but important ways. As global pharmaceutical supply chains become more interlinked and regulatory expectations more exacting, the emphasis is shifting away from scale and speed alone toward reliability, operational discipline, and decision-making maturity across the API value chain.
These shifts form the backdrop to API Connect 2026, which convenes industry leaders in Ahmedabad on 22 January 2026 at The Belvedere Golf & Country Club.
The one-day gathering brings together professionals from API operations, quality, regulatory affairs, and manufacturing leadership to examine how organisations are responding to sustained pressure on margins, inspections, and global expectations.
Rather than framing the discussion around forecasts or announcements, the agenda reflects the realities faced by API organisations today: inspection readiness, data integrity, decision latency, talent development, and the increasing expectation that API partners contribute to outcomes beyond the molecule itself.
API Connect 2026- A Panel Anchored in Execution
The strength of the forum lies in the composition of its speakers and panel members, whose collective experience spans the full operating spectrum of API manufacturing and oversight.
The discussions are moderated by Shirish G. Belapure, Senior Technical Advisor at the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, bringing an industry-wide perspective shaped by policy engagement and long-term sectoral observation.
Operational and technical depth is represented by Arvind Thakker, Technical Director at Stallion Laboratories, alongside Naresh Kumar Gaur, Executive Vice President – Manufacturing Operations, whose experience reflects the practical challenges of running and scaling API facilities under regulatory scrutiny.
From a regulatory and advisory standpoint Dr Nandkumar Patil, Vice President and Head – Global Regulatory Affairs at RK Pharma Inc., contribute perspectives shaped by direct engagement with global regulatory authorities and inspection environments.
API strategy and integration are addressed through voices such as Dr Kuber Jagdale, President – API Business Unit at Emcure Pharmaceuticals Limited, along with Naveen Kapil, Head – API Operations at Cipla, and Pankaj Shitole, Cluster Head at Cipla. Their combined experience highlights how API operations increasingly influence formulation strategy, filing confidence, and long-term supply assurance.
Quality leadership is represented by Shirish Ambulgekar, Global Quality Head at Alkem Laboratories, and Vipul Doshi, Chief Quality and Compliance Officer at Zydus Life Science Ltd, bringing focus to inspection preparedness, data integrity, and organisational accountability.
Completing the operational perspective is Sandeep Raktate, Head of Operations for India and Ireland at Amneal Pharmaceuticals, whose role spans multi-geography manufacturing and compliance alignment.
Founders’ Intent – API Connect 2026
The platform is founded by Shiital Rathod and Shikha Agarwal, who position the conference as a space for substantive, experience-led dialogue rather than event-driven storytelling.
“There is no shortage of expertise in this industry. What is needed are forums where that experience can be shared honestly, without oversimplifying the complexity involved,” says Shiital Rathod.
Shikha Agarwal adds,
We felt there was a need for conversations that stay close to how API organisations actually function. “Many of the challenges today are operational and cultural, and they deserve thoughtful discussion.”
An Industry Willing to Reflect
APIs sit at the intersection of quality, continuity, and credibility. Decisions taken at this stage carry downstream consequences across formulations, filings, and patient access. API Connect 2026 reflects a maturing industry conversation—one that recognises resilience is built quietly, through systems, people, and disciplined execution.
For professionals across API manufacturing, quality, and regulatory leadership, the relevance of such a forum lies not in projection, but in reflection: examining how organisations operate today, and what must evolve to sustain trust and performance over time.
