By Uttar Pradesh is aggressively repositioning itself as a front-runner in India’s pharmaceutical manufacturing race, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Tuesday while inaugurating the state’s first large-scale pharma-focused investor summit in Lucknow. Addressing global investors, industry leaders and policymakers at the Uttar Pradesh Pharma Conclave 1.0, the Chief Minister projected the state as a high-confidence destination where policy certainty, security and speed of execution are now defining features of governance.
Framing the transformation as both structural and cultural, Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh had moved decisively away from its past image of instability to become a state where investors can plan long-term operations without fear or friction. “This is a new Uttar Pradesh,” he said, underlining that governance today is driven by decisive administration rather than political hesitation.
From Lawlessness to Investor Confidence
Recalling the period before 2017, the Chief Minister painted a stark contrast with the present. He said repeated riots, frequent curfews and the prevalence of extortion had once made industrial activity unsustainable in many districts. According to him, industries linked to healthcare and manufacturing were among the worst affected, with several businesses either shutting down or relocating.
The turning point, Adityanath said, came with the enforcement of a zero-tolerance approach to crime and corruption. He stressed that the rule of law is now applied uniformly, regardless of political or social influence. “Today, festivals pass peacefully, trade functions without fear, and the shadow of gunda tax has been removed,” he said, arguing that stability has become the foundation of economic revival in the state.
Regulatory Reforms and Industrial Expansion
The Chief Minister highlighted deregulation as a major pillar of Uttar Pradesh’s industrial push. He said criminal provisions were removed from 13 state laws to reduce unnecessary legal exposure for businesses, while MSME units were granted inspection-free operations for their first 1,000 days. The intent, he explained, was to replace intimidation with facilitation.
The results, Adityanath claimed, are visible in numbers. The number of operational factories in Uttar Pradesh has more than doubled since 2017, crossing 30,000. He added that investment proposals worth nearly ₹50 lakh crore have been received so far, with projects worth ₹20 lakh crore already moving into execution and production phases. Regular government-industry dialogue, he said, has helped prevent delays and policy bottlenecks.
Pharma at the Core of UP’s Next Growth Phase
Positioning pharmaceuticals as a strategic sector, the Chief Minister said Uttar Pradesh is building an integrated ecosystem rather than isolated industrial pockets. The Bulk Drug Pharma Park in Lalitpur, he said, is being developed on a hub-and-spoke model, combining manufacturing with advanced research and development capabilities.
Medical Device Parks, an FDA-compliant testing laboratory and logistics hubs are coming up in Gautam Buddha Nagar, while new pharma parks are planned in Bareilly and other districts. Adityanath also announced that the upcoming budget session would outline steps toward setting up a world-class pharmaceutical institute in Lucknow to support skill development and innovation.
Infrastructure and ‘Local to Global’ Push
Linking industrial growth with infrastructure expansion, the Chief Minister said Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the country’s connectivity leader. Over half of India’s expressways now run through the state, district headquarters are linked by four-lane roads, and metro rail services cover more cities than anywhere else in India. With 16 operational airports — including four international ones — and the upcoming Noida International Airport, logistics constraints are being steadily dismantled.
He also credited the One District One Product initiative for helping local manufacturing scale globally, noting that Uttar Pradesh now accounts for a majority share of India’s mobile phone and electronic component production.
A Long-Term Bet on ‘Viksit Bharat’
Assuring investors of transparent governance and timely incentives, Adityanath said Uttar Pradesh is no longer a fiscally dependent state but a revenue surplus economy ready to anchor India’s growth ambitions. He described the pharma sector as a key contributor to the vision of a developed India, with future focus areas including AI-driven healthcare, med-tech, telemedicine and clinical research.
Inviting investors to become partners in the state’s transformation, the Chief Minister said trust is now Uttar Pradesh’s strongest currency — and the engine driving its next phase of growth.
