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In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the digital transformation of India’s pharmaceutical sector. Factories ran round the clock, research teams pushed boundaries, and digital platforms became the connective tissue between labs and logistics.
This swift digital shift, while necessary, also left the industry open to new threats specifically when it comes to controlling and protecting digital identities throughout a more intricate ecosystem. The key question then started to arise: Who has access to these systems, and how securely is that access being governed?
Identity was perhaps not at the top of mind when lives were at risk, but today it is one of the most underappreciated risks in drug manufacturing. In an era where machines communicate with machines, contractors come and go on the production floor, and information gets exchanged on international networks in a matter of seconds, visibility into who is doing what, when, and why has become critical.
An industry built on complex identities
Pharmaceutical production is a complex network of systems, processes, and identities. From R&D teams examining clinical data to automated equipment and non-human identities such as bots and IoT devices, each of these touches sensitive platforms such as Enterprise Resource Planning systems (SAP, Oracle), laboratory equipment, and manufacturing technologies. Each access point, human or machine, becomes a potential weakness if not adequately governed. Unless organizations can explicitly monitor who accessed what, when, and why, they risk more than mere inefficiency. For example, during audits by authorities such as the CDSCO or FDA, even a simple access history can become a significant compliance bottleneck or worse, trigger an observation.
Across pharma organizations there’s a confluence of security and structural gaps: Ineffective controls, poor data sharing, and labour gaps - especially during M&As - are weakening internal resilience. Meanwhile, identity-related risks from phishing, ransomware, insider threats, and unmanaged third-party access are surging. Add to this a lack of skilled personnel and fragmented non-employee governance, and the result is a system riddled with vulnerabilities. Without intelligent identity management and security, innovation and compliance are at constant risk.
The consequences of poor identity management are tangible. In 2020, pharma was the second-most breached industry for cyberattacks, and breaches cost, on average, $5.06 million, IBM reported. With mean drug development expenditures of more than $1.5 billion and timelines taking longer than six years, even one breach can threaten years of investment and research. In such a high-stakes environment, identity security isn't just about prevention, it's about safeguarding gains.
Why intelligent identity security matters now
AI and ML-based platforms help pharma companies automate and secure identity management for human and non-human users, making sure that only those who are approved have access to confidential information and infrastructure. These solutions:
- Automate and streamline the right access across systems and applications for human and non-human identities.
- Counter and audit usage in real-time to enable regulatory compliance.
- Have auditable trails for compliance frameworks set by CDSCO or FDA.
- Only provide access to the appropriate people (or programs) at the appropriate time, and for the right reasons.
- Effectively onboard and offboard all users such as employees, contractors, vendors, and researchers quickly without sacrificing security.
The actual power of contemporary identity platforms is contextual intelligence. Knowing whether someone is authorized is not sufficient – organizations need to know if that access is suitable at that particular moment, on that device, in that location. This contextual accuracy minimizes risks such as privilege creep and unwarranted elevated access.
For contract manufacturing organizations, this visibility is particularly valuable. They can instantly show auditors which qualified individuals accessed specific systems, reducing audit fatigue and building trust with clients.
Challenges on ground
SailPoint’s State of Identity Security in Manufacturing report shows that 87% of manufacturers globally are struggling with identity security issues, with 63% reporting a cybersecurity breach resulting from an identity-related issue in the last two years. As such, although the argument for smart identity security is compelling, Indian manufacturers are confronted with a number of challenges when embracing identity security, such as inadequate budgets, challenges in achieving consensus around the program, and a lack of technical knowledge. Overcoming these challenges necessitates a multidimensional approach that involves:
- Budgeting priorities: Obtaining sufficient funding for identity security projects is vital. Organizations must consider identity security a core investment, and not an IT spend.
- Consensus building: Creating shared support for identity security across business units such as IT, security, and business units is vital. Clear communications, executive support, and showing the potential effects of security breaches are important in obtaining consensus.
- Closing the expertise gap: Most pharma organizations in India do not possess the technical expertise to properly deploy and manage advanced identity security solutions. Investing in training initiatives, hiring experienced professionals, or engaging with seasoned service providers can bridge this gap.
For instance, the practical influence of intelligent identity security is best understood through the recent experience of a top-tier, Fortune 100 global pharma organization with more than 72,000 employees. Faced with the limitations of a legacy on-premises identity solution with cumbersome manual maintenance and slow processes, the company shifted to a scalable cloud-based identity management system. The outcomes were dramatic, including a 40% decrease in wait time for employees to have access, thereby streamlining onboarding and operational flows and a 30% drop in manual IT tasks, which allowed teams to repurpose effort on more strategic initiatives. This transition not only enhanced productivity and compliance but also highlighted the way that today's identity security can be an accelerator for the business.
Scaling securely in a connected world
Pharma remains one of the most targeted industries globally. The rise in non-employee usage - CROs, CDMOs, and third-party vendors - is only amplifying these risks. However, with smart budgeting, cross-functional collaboration, and the right partners, Indian pharma can leapfrog into a more secure digital future.
India's efforts to make its pharma sector modern is building fertile ground for identity change. Schemes such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme are spearheading greenfield initiatives for active pharmaceutical ingredients, while efforts at regulatory harmonization seek to make Indian standards conform to international standards. The implementation of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, has prompted Indian pharmaceutical companies to align their cybersecurity practices with international standards, emphasizing the need for robust identity security measures. Additionally, the government is promoting the use of technologies like AI, big data analytics, and cloud platforms throughout the pharma value chain. This combined push places India not only as a low-cost producer, but also primed to be an innovation-led, digitally advanced pharmaceutical hub.
The road ahead
With the pharma industry's constant development, identity security needs to be seen as a strategic accelerator instead of a mere peripheral. The inclusion of intelligent identity security is necessary in order to secure innovation, ensure compliance, and facilitate the next stride in life sciences.
The technology and structures are ready. Now, it's time for Indian pharma leaders to move with purpose, vision, and a sense of urgency. By placing identity protection first, the sector can ensure productivity, efficiency and resilience.
(Author is managing director - India, SailPoint)
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