Inside Laborate Pharmaceuticals: A Conversation with Director Arpit Bhatia

An Exclusive Interview with Arpit Bhatia, Director of Laborate Pharmaceuticals, one of India’s leading pharmaceutical manufacturers

In this insightful interview, Arpit Bhatia, Director of Laborate Pharmaceuticals, shares his vision for advancing healthcare in India.

Known for quality and innovation, Laborate continues to strengthen its position as one of the nation’s leading pharmaceutical manufacturers.

How do you view the current transformation of India’s pharmaceutical ecosystem from cost-focused generics to innovation-driven, quality-led growth?

Arpit Bhatia: India built its early strength on affordability and large-scale generic manufacturing, and that contribution is still incredibly important for global healthcare. But the industry is clearly entering a new chapter where quality, compliance, and innovation matter just as much as cost.

What I am seeing today is a shift in mindset. Manufacturers are investing more in R&D, upgrading their facilities, adopting global certifications, and embracing digital systems.

Even mid-sized players are thinking beyond production volumes and looking at how to deliver more consistent, science-backed, and differentiated products.

It feels like India is moving from being a dependable supplier to becoming a more strategic partner in global health  and that evolution is long overdue.

The definition of “trust” in healthcare is evolving. How does Laborate ensure consistency, transparency, and reliability across its global markets?

Arpit Bhatia: Trust today goes beyond affordability. Regulators and healthcare systems want transparency, clean documentation, and predictable quality. For us, that simply means having strong processes that leave very little room for variation.

We follow a straightforward principle: if something cannot be measured and monitored, it cannot be trusted. So a lot of our effort goes into documentation discipline, batch-wise traceability, and internal checks that mirror global standards.

We also believe transparency builds confidence. Whether it is audits, regulatory queries, or third-party assessments, we are open about our systems and encourage engagement. Consistency, in my experience, is never built through shortcuts; it comes from doing the same small things right every single day.

What are some of the best practices Laborate follows to maintain international quality standards across its 90% in-house production setup?

Arpit Bhatia: Having most processes in-house helps because it reduces dependency and gives us better control.

But in-house production only works when the culture supports it. Some practices that help us stay aligned with global expectations include:

• A strong focus on SOP discipline – making sure procedures are followed exactly as written.
 • Regular internal audits — we treat them as learning tools rather than fault-finding exercises.
 • Batch-level traceability and documentation — which ensures every stage is verifiable.
 • Continuous training — because people are the real foundation of quality.

Our approach is simple: create systems that are predictable and repeatable. When processes are stable, the product automatically becomes more dependable.

How is Laborate leveraging technology, digital tools, or process innovation to enhance formulation development and production efficiency?

Arpit Bhatia: Technology helps us see and solve problems much earlier. Over the past few years, we’ve been integrating digital tools into formulation development, shop-floor monitoring, and quality checks.

For example, automated data logging reduces human error, digital validation makes processes more audit-ready, and real-time dashboards help us track deviations quickly. Even small steps like digitised batch records or predictive maintenance for equipment can significantly improve efficiency.

We are not chasing technology for the sake of it, we are using it to make our systems more reliable and our teams more informed.

With a footprint across 55+ countries, how is Laborate navigating diverse regulatory environments while ensuring consistent product quality?

Arpit Bhatia: Each market has its own regulatory expectations, and the only way to manage that diversity is through discipline and preparedness. Our strategy has always been to build systems that meet the strictest requirements so that compliance in other markets becomes easier.

We rely on a strong regulatory affairs team, regular communication with partners, and a clear understanding of country-specific expectations.

But above all, we work on maintaining consistency at the source: the manufacturing process. When the base is strong, adapting documentation or formats for different markets becomes much smoother.

How do you plan to build brand equity in markets traditionally dominated by large global pharmaceutical companies?

Arpit Bhatia: In pharmaceuticals, brand equity is built slowly. It comes from reliability, not campaigns.

We are not trying to position ourselves against anyone we are simply trying to show up consistently with quality, compliance, and service.

For us, building equity means being responsive, maintaining standards, and honouring commitments.

Over time, that creates recognition. Even in competitive markets, buyers value suppliers who are dependable and transparent. That is the space we aim to occupy.

Arpit Bhatia’s leadership reflects a commitment to improving healthcare accessibility and innovation. Through strategic growth and ethical practices, Laborate Pharmaceuticals sets new benchmarks, inspiring the industry to pursue excellence, compassion, and sustainable development in healthcare.

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