With 60 NCEs in the pipeline, the Indian pharma has adopted the innovation path with enthusiastic diligence. More than a dozen Indian companies are now focussing on novel drug discovery and taking different routes viz. partnering with international pharma companies, outlicensing, researching collaboratively with government and academic institutions etc. There is little doubt that “drug discovery” has become the buzzword in the Indian pharmaceutical industry. Pharma Focus Asia invited top industry leaders to give their views on the same. Swati A. Piramal, Director - Strategic Alliances & Communications, Nicholas Piramal India Limited (NPIL), Glenn Saldanha, CEO, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Somesh Sharma, CSO, NPIL and Utkarsh Palnitkar, National Leader, Health Sciences Industry Practice, Ernst & Young, India give insights on the reasons, strategies, challenges and opportunities for Indian pharma to embark into the drug discovery era.