The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, hosted the inaugural edition of CHEMCONNECT 2026 at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras. The event brought together policymakers, industry leaders, researchers and entrepreneurs to strengthen collaboration and accelerate innovation across India’s chemicals and petrochemicals sector.
BioPack Centre of Excellence Inaugurated at IIT Madras
Shri Tejveer Singh, Secretary, DCPC, inaugurated CHEMCONNECT 2026 and launched the Centre of Excellence on Biodegradable Packaging Materials (BioPack) at IIT Madras. The new BioPack facility aims to accelerate the development and adoption of sustainable packaging materials. In addition, it will serve as a platform for advanced research, innovation and capacity building in biodegradable and eco-friendly packaging technologies.
CHEMCONNECT to Become an Annual Industry-Academia Platform
The Department announced that CHEMCONNECT will become an annual event, taking place every July–August. The initiative will provide a regular platform to review and benchmark progress across the Centres of Excellence established by the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals. Furthermore, the annual event will help stakeholders share research outcomes, identify emerging opportunities and strengthen cooperation between academia, industry and government.
Connecting Research with Commercial Opportunities
More than 200 industry leaders, researchers and entrepreneurs participated in the inaugural edition. The discussions focused on strengthening industry-academia collaboration and converting promising laboratory research into commercially viable products and technologies. By bringing researchers and businesses together, CHEMCONNECT aims to shorten the journey from laboratory innovation to market adoption. Consequently, the platform can help Indian companies develop domestic technologies, reduce dependence on imports and strengthen the country’s manufacturing capabilities.
Supporting the Vision of Viksit Bharat 2047
CHEMCONNECT 2026 also supports the broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 by encouraging indigenous innovation and promoting technology-led growth in the chemicals and petrochemicals sector. Through stronger industry-academia partnerships, the initiative seeks to accelerate domestic product development, import substitution and sustainable technological innovation. As reported by exampurstore.com, the inaugural CHEMCONNECT therefore marks an important step towards creating a more connected innovation ecosystem, where research institutions, industry and policymakers can work together to develop commercially relevant technologies for India’s future.
