Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh on Monday said India has already stepped into the next industrial revolution powered by biotechnology, positioning itself among global leaders in bio-innovation.
Speaking at the inauguration of the NHP-ABSL-3 facility and delivering the keynote address at the second Foundation Day of the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC) at BRIC-National Institute of Immunology (NII), Dr. Singh said India is one of the few nations with a dedicated biotechnology policy, BioE3.
He praised the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) for emerging as one of the most dynamic and integrated scientific ecosystems in the government and said the “best of DBT is yet to come.”
Bioeconomy soars to over USD 130 billion
Dr. Singh highlighted India’s rapid growth in the bioeconomy, which has risen from USD 10 billion to more than USD 130 billion and is projected to cross USD 300 billion in the coming years.
He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for transformative reforms, including the merger of 14 autonomous biotechnology institutes under BRIC to enhance coordination and accelerate innovation.
“The age of silos is over. We have moved towards collaboration across biotechnology, medical research, agriculture, and data-driven science. India will not be a follower—it will be a leader in the next biotechnology-driven global growth phase,” he said.
The entrepreneur-in-residence program
The Minister also launched the BRIC–BIRAC Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) Program, aimed at fostering innovation and supporting promising biotech entrepreneurs.
He referred to BRIC and BIRAC as global benchmarks in public-private partnerships and underscored India’s advancements in biosafety facilities, translational research, and gene therapy.
“The vaccine story during the pandemic has transformed India’s image from a recipient to a provider of global preventive healthcare solutions,” he added.
Strong research output and startup momentum
Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, DBT and DG, BRIC, outlined key achievements of BRIC institutions over the past three years, including:
-3,190 publications
-107 patents
-13 technologies commercialized
-2,578 PhD scholars and 678 post-doctoral fellows
He noted BRIC’s top ranking in biological sciences in India as per Nature’s Pringles Index and announced progress on the Design for BioE3 Challenge, which has received 510 applications—431 from BRIC institutions.
He also revealed plans for a 200-acre BRIC Bio-Enterprise Innovation Park in Faridabad to boost innovation-driven entrepreneurship.
Dr. Singh said Indian biotechnology will play a pivotal role in building a Viksit Bharat.
“The road to Viksit Bharat will pass through the corridors of DBT,” he remarked, expressing optimism about the future of India’s biotech ecosystem.
The event was attended by senior scientists, industry leaders, and academic dignitaries including Dr. Kalaivani Ganesan, Dr. Anand Deshpande, Prof. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, and Dr. P. M. Murali.