One year on, as India’s BioE3 policy lays the groundwork for a US$300 billion bioeconomy, its success hinges on closing gaps in talent, scale-up, and commercialisation while advancing science diplomacy.
Marking one year since the launch of the Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment (BioE3) policy, India has begun laying critical foundations for a US$300 billion bioeconomy by 2030. With increasing global recognition of bio-based solutions as key drivers of resilience in public health, agriculture, nutrition, and climate action, India is at a crucial juncture: it must consolidate its progress in the sector while charting a roadmap that addresses its key vulnerabilities.
Recognising the strategic imperative of a bioeconomy strategy — one that leverages biological resources, boosts economic growth, and provides sustainable solutions to global challenges — the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) launched the BioE3 policy last year. It aims to double India’s US$151 billion (2023) bioeconomy by 2030, paving the way for a ‘Bio-vision for Viksit Bharat.’ The policy spans research and development (R&D) through to the commercialisation of bio-based products, emphasising high-performance biomanufacturing. The policy also aligns with existing flagship initiatives such as LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) and India’s Net Zero carbon economy goals, steering the country toward a circular bioeconomy.
With increasing global recognition of bio-based solutions as key drivers of resilience in public health, agriculture, nutrition, and climate action, India is at a crucial juncture: it must consolidate its progress in the sector while charting a roadmap that addresses its key vulnerabilities.
The policy established India’s first biomanufacturing institute — the BRIC National Agri-Food Biomanufacturing Institute (BRIC-NABI) — through the merger of the National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute and the Centre of Innovative and Applied Bioprocessing in Mohali to advance India’s agriculture biotechnology and bioprocessing sectors. An incubation centre within the institute — called the BioNEST BRIC-NABI Incubation Centre — will streamline activities, including the development of high-yielding and disease-resistant crops, and will facilitate in driving pilot-scale projects of biofertilisers and biopesticides through to commercialisation.
Another achievement is the launch of India’s first National Biofoundry Network, which spans 6 institutions and will aid in the scale-up of proof-of-concept projects into viable technologies. New Delhi’s International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) is working on engineering microbial strains to produce first- and second-generation biofuels. These newly formed labs will build and test dozens of genetically engineered organisms, while integration with AI models will accelerate the process. Another biofoundry, set up at IIT-Madras and supported by the Tamil Nadu government and TICEL Biopark, is rapidly advancing the animal-free production of hyaluronic acid, a cosmetic ingredient.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between DBT and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), inked in late 2024, marked India’s entry into space biotechnology. In July 2025, three experiments in life sciences, supported by DBT, were conducted by Gaganyaan Group Captain Subhanshu Shukla onboard the International Space Station. A joint working group has been set up to collaborate on experiments that will be incorporated into India’s upcoming space station, the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS). Themes under investigation include: understanding the effect of microgravity on muscle atrophy, the efficacy of medicines in space, and the use of algae for nutritional supplements and jet fuel production. This reflects India’s strategic endeavour to develop commercially viable technologies for both human space flight and terrestrial applications.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between DBT and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), inked in late 2024, marked India’s entry into space biotechnology. In July 2025, three experiments in life sciences, supported by DBT, were conducted by Gaganyaan Group Captain Subhanshu Shukla onboard the International Space Station.
A new dimension of BioE3 is Centre-State cooperation. In March 2025, a partnership between DBT and the Government of Assam was launched to facilitate biomanufacturing activities by leveraging Assam’s rich biodiversity and agricultural strength. A State BioE3 Cell and an Assam BioE3 Action Plan will guide implementation. This highlights how regional strengths can be aligned with national priorities. Extending similar partnerships across the country will be crucial to ensuring growth in other sectors such as marine biotechnology, agri-biotechnology and industrial biotechnology.
While these efforts mark promising beginnings, BioE3 lacks measurable milestones to track progress. Some critical gaps will need to be addressed to ensure that India’s bioeconomy can attain the US$300 billion target.
An initiative to promote youth engagement in biotechnology — the BioE3 Challenge for Youth — was recently launched, inviting students, researchers, and start-ups to design solutions for healthcare, agriculture, environment, and industry. While this demonstrates BioE3’s emphasis on human capital, critical expertise gaps, particularly in microbial strain engineering and bioprocessing, remain. Addressing this requires stronger hands-on exposure through linkages with biofoundries, to ensure that students become industry-ready more quickly. Interdisciplinary programmes that bridge biotechnology with chemical engineering and nanosciences, along with industry internships, will prepare graduates with the competencies needed to meet future bioeconomy workforce demands and help address India’s youth unemployment crisis.
Bio-E3 aims to set up Bio-Artificial Intelligence (Bio-AI) hubs across academia and industry to develop cutting-edge tools. These hubs will be created under a public–private partnership (PPP) model, serving as shared platforms for scaling up research activities. Key focus areas include the use of AI to: design RNA-based molecules for therapeutics, develop biomarkers for human disease detection and sensors for plant disease detection, identify metabolic pathways for biofuel production, and identify pharmacologically active compounds. However, scaling up these technologies is often limited by the ‘valley of death’ — the challenging period between discovery and commercialisation, where funding is limited and development typically stalls. Pilot project demonstrations can de-risk investment, while BIRAC’s (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council) role as DBT’s flagship implementation arm can be strengthened to bridge the ‘valley of death’ between pilot projects and commercialisation, mobilising finance for innovative solutions. These efforts can be complemented by the recently announced Deep Tech Fund of Funds to mobilise risk capital for biotech ventures.
Pilot project demonstrations can de-risk investment, while BIRAC’s (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council) role as DBT’s flagship implementation arm can be strengthened to bridge the ‘valley of death’ between pilot projects and commercialisation, mobilising finance for innovative solutions.
Cell and gene therapy is a critical thematic area under BioE3, as it holds immense transformative potential in treating a range of complex diseases. NexCAR19 — India’s first indigenously produced CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T Cell) therapy — was developed through a collaboration between IIT-Bombay and Tata Memorial Centre. As an affordable immunotherapy, it positioned India’s cell and gene therapy capabilities on the global map. However, immunotherapy manufacturing at the commercial level still faces hurdles. Acquiring capital investment for the establishment of highly advanced Good Manufacturing Practices-compliant units is challenging due to long return-on-investment cycles. Limited local supply chains for raw materials and reagents, as well as heavy reliance on costly imported materials such as viral vectors and cell lines, create bottlenecks that impede scalability. Further, fragmented logistics networks and infrastructural challenges, including cold chain storage, undermine product quality, especially during last-mile delivery. Addressing these gaps will be critical to ensuring supply chain resilience in the biomanufacturing of immunotherapies.
Science diplomacy is an indispensable tool for addressing health challenges such as infectious diseases. For instance, Pune-based Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Limited will expand its collaboration with CEPI to advance its self-amplifying mRNA vaccine technology against Nipah virus, a priority disease identified by the World Health Organization. Further, in collaboration with Houston Methodist Research Institute, Gennova will apply AI tools to identify potential Nipah vaccine targets. These cutting-edge technologies, supported through international partnerships, strengthen global health security, especially as the United States (US) scales back its efforts in mRNA vaccine technology. Globally, 52 of India’s missions overseas have provided feedback on the country’s BioE3 policy, and the DBT and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) are working on a follow-up course of action. Anchoring such projects within the BioE3 framework highlights how science diplomacy can aid India’s global health security efforts.
With rapid strides being made to incorporate more animal-free studies in biomedical science research and in the development of human-relevant models, India must actively participate in setting global validation systems for the same. The US National Institutes of Health (NIH), the European Union, and South Korea have taken transformative policy steps to introduce lab-on-a-chip models, organoids, and in silico models to complement animal studies. In India, over 80 labs are developing these new approach methods (NAMs); however, there remains no coordinated national strategy, dedicated funding mechanism, or validation system to support this growing ecosystem. Establishing clear validation frameworks for these models within the BioE3 framework, in collaboration with global counterparts, will be essential to ensure scientific credibility and innovation.
In a similar vein, India is advancing gene-editing technologies such as CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) for applications in diagnostics and the treatment of diseases like sickle cell anaemia and ocular disorders. However, obstacles to manufacturing and regulatory challenges continue to hamper progress towards commercialisation. Most recently, India became the first country to develop rice varieties using Site-Directed Nuclease 1 and 2 gene-editing technologies for nutritional security and to address climate resilience. However, a debate over biosafety concerns regarding gene-edited rice varieties emerged as their approval involved streamlining of regulatory pathways in 2022 — highlighting the need for greater awareness of these technologies, assurances on biosafety, and assessments of long-term impacts on human health, nutrition, and the ecosystem. Engaging with the public proactively through responsible science communication under BioE3 can foster trust in the adoption of new biotechnologies.
Most recently, India became the first country to develop rice varieties using Site-Directed Nuclease 1 and 2 gene-editing technologies for nutritional security and to address climate resilience.
The first year of BioE3 signalled intent and laid institutional foundations, but its success rests on addressing the above-mentioned gaps. Translating innovative ideas into impactful solutions will require strengthening BIRAC as a scale-up anchor. Reducing dependence on imported materials and addressing infrastructural issues are essential for supply chain resilience in biomanufacturing. Centre–state partnerships, as seen in Assam, should be replicated to align regional strengths with national priorities. To meet talent shortages and rising youth unemployment, interdisciplinary training linked to biofoundries and industry must be expanded. Globally, India must leverage science diplomacy to shape standards for emerging biotechnologies whilst engaging in responsible science communication to build societal trust in domestic technology adoption. This would enable India to consolidate its endeavour to build a US$300 billion bioeconomy by 2030.
Lakshmy Ramakrishnan is an Associate Fellow with the Health Initiative at the Observer Research Foundation.
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Lakshmy is an Associate Fellow with ORF’s Centre for New Economic Diplomacy. Her work focuses on the intersection of biotechnology, health, and international relations, with a ...
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