Pramod Thomas is a senior correspondent with Asian Media Group since 2020, bringing 19 years of journalism experience across business, politics, sports, communities, and international relations. His career spans both traditional and digital media platforms, with eight years specifically focused on digital journalism. This blend of experience positions him well to navigate the evolving media landscape and deliver content across various formats. He has worked with national and international media organisations, giving him a broad perspective on global news trends and reporting standards.
JAGUAR LAND ROVER has plans to consolidate position in the domestic luxury vehicle segment in India, a top company executive has said.
The company will initiate ten product-related actions in 2021-22, including new generation model launches and introduction of updated versions.
Tata Group owned JLR has recently introduced its fully electric SUV I-PACE in the domestic market.
"We are looking to further fortify our position in the market with ten strong product actions planned in FY 2021-22, including new generation products, facelifts, new body styles, plug-in-hybrids and new power-trains," JLR India president and managing director Rohit Suri told PTI.
Overall, the company believes that there is a huge headroom for growth in the luxury car segment in India, he said.
"As the Indian economy continues to flourish, the number of Indian HNI''s will also grow and that will fuel demand for luxury cars organically," Suri said.
"In line with the growth in the economy, we expect the luxury car market to witness a strong double digit growth and we will strive to grow faster in FY 2021-22."
He added that the company aims to grow faster than the luxury car market in the domestic market in the current fiscal.
On I-Pace, he said that with the model the company wants to focus on providing customers with a seamless and worry-free EV ownership experience, while watching developments in the EV market very closely, including customers' 'likes and dislikes'.
In February this year, JLR announced plans to become a net-zero carbon business by 2039 for which its Jaguar brand will become an all-electric luxury vehicle marque from 2025.
As per its new 'Reimagine'' global strategy, all Jaguar and Land Rover nameplates will be available in pure electric form by end of the decade, and the first all-electric Land Rover SUV model will be launched in 2024 and the brand will have six pure electric variants in the next five years, the company said.
UK life sciences sector contributed £17.6bn GVA in 2021 and supports 126,000 high-skilled jobs.
Inward life sciences FDI fell by 58 per cent from £1,897m in 2021 to £795m in 2023.
Experts warn NHS underinvestment and NICE pricing rules are deterring innovation and patient access.
Investment gap
Britain is seeking to attract new pharmaceutical investment as part of its plan to strengthen the life sciences sector, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said during meetings in Washington this week. “We do need to make sure that we are an attractive place for pharmaceuticals, and that includes on pricing, but in return for that, we want to see more investment flow to Britain,” Reeves told reporters.
Recent ABPI report, ‘Creating the conditions for investment and growth’, The UK’s pharmaceutical industry is integral to both the country’s health and growth missions, contributing £17.6 billion in direct gross value added (GVA) annually and supporting 126,000 high-skilled jobs across the nation. It also invests more in research and development (R&D) than any other sector. Yet inward life sciences foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 58per cent, from £1,897 million in 2021 to £795 million in 2023, while pharmaceutical R&D investment in the UK lagged behind global growth trends, costing an estimated £1.3 billion in lost investment in 2023 alone.
Richard Torbett, ABPI Chief Executive, noted “The UK can lead globally in medicines and vaccines, unlocking billions in R&D investment and improving patient access but only if barriers are removed and innovation rewarded.”
The UK invests just 9% of healthcare spending in medicines, compared with 17% in Spain, and only 37% of new medicines are made fully available for their licensed indications, compared to 90% in Germany.
Expert reviews
Shailesh Solanki, executive editor of Pharmacy Business, pointed that “The government’s own review shows the sector is underfunded by about £2 billion per year. To make transformation a reality, this gap must be closed with clear plans for investment in people, premises and technology.”
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) cost-effectiveness threshold £20,000 to £30,000 per Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) — has remained unchanged for over two decades, delaying or deterring new medicine launches. Raising it is viewed as vital to attracting foreign investment, expanding patient access, and maintaining the UK’s global standing in life sciences.
Guy Oliver, General Manager for Bristol Myers Squibb UK and Ireland, noted that " the current VPAG rate is leaving UK patients behind other countries, forcing cuts to NHS partnerships, clinical trials, and workforce despite government growth ambitions".
Reeves’ push for reform, supported by the ABPI’s Competitiveness Framework, underlines Britain’s intent to stay a leading hub for pharmaceutical innovation while ensuring NHS patients will gain faster access to new treatments.
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