Sun Pharma's first plant in Northeast

Pharmaceutical major Sun Pharma inaugurated Rs 700 crore manufacturing plant near Guwahati on Saturday, its first in the Northeast.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the plant in a 14-acre land at Palashbari, close to Guwahati airport.

Sun Pharma managing director Dilip Sanghvi, soon after the inauguration of the plant said it would increase the company's capacity to manufacture liquid vials, lyophilised vials, liquid ampoule and eye drops.

It is capable of manufacturing tablets, capsules, sex hormones, injectable and eye care products. "This plant will cater to demands in the local markets and in the neighbouring countries as well. In the next few years, Guwahati plant is going to be one of the largest facilities in our network to manufacture sterile products," he said.

Sonowal said the state government would welcome more such companies to set up plants in order to fulfil its plan to transform Guwahati into a business hub for markets in South East Asian nations which are nearer than cities like Mumbai and Chennai.

Sun Pharma was one of the companies which signed an MOU for investments with Assam government in February this year when the BJP-led government organised Advantage Assam, the first such global investors' summit in the state that has remained industrially backward due to problems like insurgency and lack of proper infrastructure.