PI Industries launches Pyoxanilipro, billed as India's first home-discovered pesticide molecule

PI Industries on Tuesday launched Pyoxanilipro, which the company says is the country's first pesticide molecule discovered entirely through research done in India. It took more than a decade to develop, involving original research, sustained investment and scientific innovation.

PI says the achievement is an important milestone for the company and for India's crop protection industry. Pyoxanilipro shows the country's growing capacity for new scientific discovery and for building its own intellectual property. India has varied crops, differing agro-climatic conditions and changing pest pressure, which makes it the world's largest and most diverse agricultural system. PI has worked with Indian agricultural universities and scientists for more than eight decades. It also has generations-old ties with farmers, and the company says this has given it a deep understanding of that complexity.

The molecule combines an understanding of ground realities in Indian farming with PI's modern scientific discovery capability. It was developed to global scientific standards and then tested in depth under Indian farming conditions. Field trials at different locations, scientific assessments and regulatory studies were carried out with the participation of India's agricultural research system, including state agricultural universities.

Pyoxanilipro has been registered by the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC) under the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare. The committee has officially recognised it as the first pesticide active ingredient discovered in India.

Mayank Singhal, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of PI Industries Limited, said: "A decade ago we set out to build the capability to discover original crop-protection solutions in India. That needed the courage to challenge old assumptions, large and long-term capital, and firm belief that we could do what had never been done before. Today Pyoxanilipro proves what is possible when our deep understanding of Indian farming and world-class science come together."

Singhal also said: "This is a moment of great pride for PI and for Indian agricultural innovation. This achievement strengthens our ambition to build an innovation-led global life sciences company that creates original science and intellectual property from India for the world."

The company says the discovery reflects long investment in its integrated research and development system, which spans molecular discovery, chemistry, biology, formulation science, toxicology, agronomy, process development and manufacturing. PI has more than 700 scientists, more than 200 PhD holders and a portfolio of more than 260 patents. The company says these have given it the scientific depth and infrastructure needed to develop original discoveries and bring them to market.

The company says Pyoxanilipro's significance is not limited to a single molecule. It is the first result of PI's broader innovation pipeline, which includes chemistry, biology and biochemical solutions. The company calls it an important step in India's journey towards scientific self-reliance, one that strengthens homegrown research capability and gives Indian agricultural innovation a chance to tackle global challenges.

Narayan K. Seshadri, Chairman of PI Industries Limited, said: "Pyoxanilipro is a very important milestone in the growth of Indian agricultural science. Such breakthrough innovation needs the ability to think beyond established frameworks, scientific strength, patient investment and long-term commitment. For PI Industries, Pyoxanilipro has become a strong foundation for next-generation discoveries. It reaffirms the company's commitment to building a continuous innovation pipeline, expanding homegrown research capability and developing distinctive technology for the global agriculture sector."

The company says that, from the discovery of India's first homegrown pesticide to the discoveries that follow, Pyoxanilipro is starting a new chapter for PI and for Indian agricultural innovation.