INFAH National Seminar Charts a New Blueprint for India’s Animal Health and Nutrition
Policymakers and Industry Leaders Convene in New Delhi to Drive Regulatory Harmony, Innovation, and Manufacturing Leadership
NEW DELHI — June 12, 2026 — The Indian Federation of Animal Health Companies (INFAH) successfully hosted its landmark National Seminar today at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
Anchored in the theme “Reimagining Animal Health & Nutrition in India: Driving Ease of Doing Business, Innovation & Leadership,” the seminar brought together a gathering of policymakers, leading veterinary scientists, corporate leaders, and academic stalwarts to map out a resilient growth trajectory for the country’s animal healthcare and livestock ecosystem.
The seminar underscored INFAH’s core mission, “Healthy Animals, Healthier India,” demonstrating the critical link between high-standard veterinary healthcare, rural farmer prosperity, national food safety, and public health. Key discussions focused on advancing ease of doing business through modern regulatory frameworks, collaborative governance, and scalable technological innovation.
Fostering Regulatory Vision & Ease of Doing Business
The technical programme was opened by Dr. Vinayak Surve, Joint Secretary, INFAH, reaffirming INFAH’s guiding mission: “Healthy Animals, Healthier India.” This was followed by a welcome address by Dr. Manoj Sood, General Secretary and a national perspective presentation by Mr. Vijay Teng, President, INFAH. Mr. Teng outlined the sector’s macroeconomic contributions and set strategic benchmarks for the sector’s growth.
Delivering the keynote on the regulatory roadmap, Dr. Praveen Malik, CEO of Agrinnovate India and former Animal Husbandry Commissioner (Govt. of India), highlighted the need for a seamless government-industry partnership. Dr. Malik detailed how proactive and transparent governance is turning administrative ease into commercial reality, enabling rapid market launches for vital veterinary therapeutics.
Addressing National Priorities: Disease Mitigation and Food Security
Emphasizing systemic public health resilience, Dr. J.P.S. Gill, Vice Chancellor of GADVASU, delivered a keynote on national disease mitigation. Dr. Gill outlined actionable approaches to reduce the livestock disease burden and championed a comprehensive ‘One Health’ framework to counter antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and zoonotic vulnerabilities.
A major highlight was the felicitation of Dr. Naveena B. Maheswarappa, Animal Husbandry Commissioner at DAHD, following his election as Chairperson of the FAO COAG Subcommittee on Livestock. In his address, “India’s Opportunity through Reform & Innovation,” Dr. Naveena presented a roadmap demonstrating how the animal health industry serves as an engine for GDP growth and Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Dr. Raghvendra Bhatta, Deputy Director General (Animal Sciences) at ICAR, presented animal nutrition as a strategic national priority, outlining how optimized livestock health and nutrition enhances productivity, secures consumer food safety, and directly elevates smallholder farmer incomes across rural India.
Publications Launch and Multi-Sectoral Policy Dialogues
During the event, Dr. Arun Atrey and Dr. Nitin Bhatia, alongside senior dignitaries, officially released INFAH’s comprehensive report on Indian animal healthcare antibiotic usage in 2025.
Distributed as part of official delegate kits, the publication highlights that while India’s livestock sector’s steady annual growth rate is over 5%, prevalent infectious diseases remain a critical productivity challenge. In 2025, total antibiotic consumption reached 1,075 tons, reflecting a 5.7% growth over 2024’s 1,017 tons. Fluoroquinolones were found to be the country’s most utilized antimicrobial class. Overall annual industry usage has grown at a stable five-year CAGR of 2.8%. This full report is available for download from the official INFAH website.
Following a global macro-perspective virtual address by Carel du Marchie Sarvaas, Executive Director of Health For Animals, the seminar moved into four technical policy panel sessions:
- Policy Session 1: Regulatory Framework for Animal Health Drugs and Biologicals– Chaired by Dr. Naveena B. Maheswarappa and co-chaired by Dr. Arun Atrey, with panelists Dr. Rubina Bose, Dr. Aruna Sharma, Dr. P. Dhar, Dr. M. Kalaivani, Dr. Vijay Makhija, and Dr. Sanjay Gavkare. The session examined science-based regulatory alignment with CDSCO, DAHD, IVRI, and IPC for fast-tracked, compliant approvals.
- Policy Session 2: Animal Health and Nutrition as a National Priority– Chaired by Dr. Ashis Kumar Samanta (ADG, ICAR) and co-chaired by Mr. Deepak Khosla, with panelists Dr. N.K. Mahajan, Dr. Gagan Garg, Dr. Hundal, Mr. Pradeep Sharma, Mr. Arun Sharma, and Dr. Raja Mukherjee. Discussions centred on BIS standards and enhanced livestock nutrition.
- Policy Session 3: From Reform to Leadership– Chaired by Dr. Praveen Malik and co-chaired by Dr. Yash Goyal, with panelists Dr. Sindura Ganapathi, Dr. Annie Jacob, Ms. Pushpa Vijayaraghavan, Mr. Gaurav Marathe, and Mr. Rajaram Narayanan. The session built an industrial blueprint to accelerate infrastructure development and high-value domestic manufacturing under ‘Make in India’.
- Policy Session 4: Innovation and Focus on Ayurveda and Phytogenics– Chaired by Dr. Ashok Kumar (Former ADG (AH), ICAR) and co-chaired by Dr. Anup Kalra, with panelists Dr. Raman Singh, Dr. Hari Kumar, Dr. Shivi Maini, and Dr. Divya Divakaran. The session pioneered integration of traditional Indian scientific knowledge with modern validation methods for global export excellence.
The seminar culminated in a Valedictory Session and a Vote of Thanks delivered by Dr. Nitin Bhatia, who acknowledged the collective commitment of government ministries, academic institutions, and private organizations in advancing veterinary standards across India.
About INFAH
The Indian Federation of Animal Health Companies (INFAH) is the apex industry body representing the animal health, therapeutics, and biologicals sector in India. Dedicated to its mission of “Healthy Animals, Healthier India,” INFAH bridges government bodies, research institutes, regulatory authorities, and industry to advance world-class veterinary care, ease of doing business, and science-based nutrition.
Photographs
https://photos.app.goo.gl/s3QTbc8moV6NKUeMA
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