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Roadmap for Building India
as a
Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse
by 2035
July 2026

Disclaimer
This roadmap has been prepared by NITI Frontier Tech Hub (FTH) in consultation with experts and
stakeholders. The data used is from secondary sources. Any references to specific organisations,
products, services or technologies does not attribute to endorsement but are only for
illustrative purposes.

Acknowledgement
W
e express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary,
Department of Biotechnology, his team and Shri B.V.R. Subrahmanyam,
Former CEO, NITI Aayog for their invaluable contributions. Their guidance
has been instrumental in ensuring that the roadmap remains both aspirational in
its vision and firmly grounded in present realities.

Expert Council Members
Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
Executive Chairperson,
Biocon Group
Dr. Vijay Chandru
Co-Founder & Director, Strand
Lifesciences & CRISPRBITS
Late Mr. Ravi Pandit
Former Chairman &
Co-Founder, KPIT
Technologies Ltd.
Dr. Soumya Swaminathan
Chairperson, MSSRF
Dr. P.M. Murali, Chairman
Jananom Group & President,
Council of Presidents, ABLE
Dr. Anand Deshpande
Managing Director, Persistent
Systems
Dr. Vivek Kumar Singh
Programme Director, Science
& Technology, NITI Aayog
Ms. Debjani Ghosh
Distinguished Fellow,
NITI Aayog.
Dr. Renu Swarup
Secretary (Retd.), DBT, GoI
Mr. G.S. Krishnan
Hon. President, Association
of Biotechnology Led
Enterprises (ABLE)
Dr. Malathi Lakshmikumaran
Executive Director,
Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan
Attorneys

Lead Contributors:
Dr. S. Balasubramanya, General Manager, ABLE
Mr. Narayanan Suresh, Advisor, ABLE
Dr. Shefali Misra, Group Vice President, Public Policy & Government Affairs, Biocon Group
Ms. Manasee Godsay
, Consultant, NITI Aayog
Ms. Preeti Sharma, Young Professional, NITI Aayog
Mr. Raghuvaryan, Young Professional, NITI Aayog
Other Contributors:
Mr. Suresh Subramanian, Partner/Principal, Ernst & Young LLP and Team

Message
India’s bioeconomy has entered a phase of rapid and substantive
progress. One that many observers are calling a golden age of
biology, comparable to the computing revolution of the 1970s. Just
as that era transformed computation into a universal tool reshaping
every industry, today’s breakthroughs in genome editing, synthetic
biology, AI assisted protein design, and precision fermentation
are turning biology into a reliable platform for manufacturing
and problem solving across medicines, materials, food, and
agriculture. This transformation aligns with India’s planning horizon
for Viksit Bharat 2047. Strengthening the biotech ecosystem is
central to enhancing domestic capabilities in pharmaceuticals
and affordable vaccines, reducing dependence on imported
fertilizers and industrial enzymes,advancing resilient agriculture,
and building an export competitive bioeconomy rooted in India’s
scientific and manufacturing base. The government’s BioE3 policy
- Biotechnology for Economy, Environment, and Employment
provides the framework for this effort. The opportunity before us
is to elevate biotechnology from a sector of growth into a pillar of
national competitiveness, public health security, climate resilience,
rural prosperity, and high value employment.
The NITI Frontier Tech Hub’s roadmap, Building India as a Leading
Bioeconomy Powerhouse by 2035, is a call for mission mode national
execution. By aligning research, regulation, capital, infrastructure,
talent, and markets through focused BioMissions, India can move
decisively from laboratory excellence to globally competitive
products, platforms, and enterprises. With ambition, speed, and
whole of government coordination, India can build a bioeconomy
that advances Viksit Bharat, strengthens strategic autonomy, and
delivers solutions not only for its own people but also for the world.
Prof. Gobardhan Das
Member, NITI Aayog

Foreword
Foremost, I express my sincere gratitude to NITI Aayog for its timely
efforts in conceiving and publishing this important document for
the Bioeconomy, underscoring the strategic importance of this
sector to India’s economic growth, technological leadership, and
sustainable development.
India is among the few nations in the world with a dedicated
Government department focused exclusively on biotechnology.
Since its inception, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
has played a catalytic role in shaping India’s biotechnology
landscape, fostering scientific excellence, enabling innovation,
and building institutional frameworks that connect research,
entrepreneurship, industry, and societal impact.
Over the past three decades, DBT has systematically strengthened
every layer of the biotechnology value chain. Strategic partnerships
such as India Alliance have nurtured world-class scientific
talent and supported cutting-edge research. The establishment
of the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council
(BIRAC) transformed the innovation ecosystem by creating a
dedicated interface between academia, startups, industry, and
government, catalyzing entrepreneurship and enabling a vibrant
biotechnology startup movement. The National Biopharma
Mission further strengthened the translational ecosystem by
accelerating the development of vaccines, biotherapeutics,
diagnostics, medical devices, and shared technology platforms,
helping bridge the critical gap between laboratory discoveries
and market-ready products.
Together, these investments created a robust innovation
continuum—from scientific discovery to translation and
commercialization. This ecosystem proved invaluable during
the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling India to rapidly develop,
manufacture, and deploy indigenous vaccines, diagnostics, and
other healthcare solutions at an unprecedented scale.
Building on these foundations, DBT has recently established the
Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC), bringing
together the collective strengths of its research institutions to
create a coordinated framework for mission-oriented science,
interdisciplinary collaboration, and accelerated translation. BRIC
represents a new paradigm of collective intelligence, enabling
institutions to work as an integrated innovation network rather
than as individual entities.

In another landmark initiative, the Government has approved
the BioE3 Policy—Biotechnology for Economy, Environment
and Employment—to usher in a new era of high-performance
biomanufacturing. The policy is already progressing from vision to
implementation and seeks to transform healthcare, agriculture, food
systems, energy, and environmental sustainability through cutting-
edge biotechnology. Central to this effort is the creation of a national
network of Biofoundries and Biomanufacturing Hubs that will provide
advanced design-build-test-learn capabilities, automation, scale-
up infrastructure, pilot manufacturing facilities, and translational
platforms. These investments will significantly reduce the time from
discovery to deployment, de-risk innovation, and enhance India’s
competitiveness in emerging bio-based industries.
Industry excels in product development, and Government support
acts as a powerful force multiplier. However, disruptive innovation
requires moving beyond incremental improvements and low-cost
adaptations toward creating entirely new technologies and industries.
While frugal innovation has enabled India to become a global leader in
affordable products, true technological leadership will depend upon
our ability to translate deep-science breakthroughs into globally
competitive products, platforms, and enterprises. The convergence
of scientific excellence, translational capability, entrepreneurial
energy, and advanced biomanufacturing infrastructure positions
India uniquely to achieve this transformation.
The document outlines key missions and strategic priorities through
a whole-of-government approach, bringing together multiple
Ministries and Departments to pursue ambitious bioeconomy
goals. Its recommendations provide a roadmap for strengthening
research and innovation, expanding biomanufacturing capacity,
fostering entrepreneurship, developing skilled human resources,
and enhancing India’s position in global biotechnology value chains.
I thank the members of the Expert Council for their invaluable
contributions. DBT remains committed to implementing the multi-
pronged strategy articulated in this report and to working closely
with academia, industry, startups, investors, and international
partners to emerge as a leading global bioeconomy and
biomanufacturing powerhouse.
We look forward to working with all stakeholders in placing India
at the forefront of the global biological age—creating economic
opportunity, strengthening national resilience, advancing
sustainability, and improving quality of life for people in India and
across the world.
Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale
Secretary, Department of Biotechnology

Foreword
The emergence of the bioeconomy is creating new pathways for
economic growth, industrial competitiveness, sustainability, and
strategic resilience. Across the world, nations are increasingly
recognising biotechnology as a foundational capability that will
influence future prosperity and geopolitical relevance. For India,
the challenge is not simply to participate in this transformation but
to shape it.
This document recognizes biotechnology as a strategic enabler
of India’s future growth, with applications spanning healthcare,
agriculture, manufacturing, energy, and environmental
sustainability. Its significance lies in providing a coordinated
framework to align national priorities, institutional capabilities,
and investments around a shared vision for the bioeconomy.
Further, it also underscores the urgency of action. Leading
economies are already deploying coordinated national strategies
to strengthen their positions in the emerging bioeconomy. India
has a significant opportunity to establish leadership in areas such
as advanced biologies, synthetic biology, precision fermentation,
and AI-enabled drug discovery, but this window will narrow as
global competition intensifies. Realizing this potential will require
timely execution, sustained investment, and close coordination
between the Centre, States, industry, and research institutions.
As demonstrated by India’s digital transformation, success will
depend on our ability to combine vision with implementation
at scale, enabling states to emerge as engines of biotechnology
innovation, manufacturing, and employment generation.
The recommendations on National BioMissions, governance
mechanisms, financing, and regulatory reforms offer a practical
pathway to accelerate innovation, strengthen domestic
capabilities, and create opportunities across states. As India
advances towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, a vibrant
bioeconomy can drive economic growth, generate high-quality
employment, enhance resilience, and position the country as a
global leader in biotechnology and biomanufacturing.
I congratulate NITI Frontier Tech Hub, the Expert Council Members,
and all contributors for producing this comprehensive roadmap.
It offers a valuable strategic guide for policymakers, industry
leaders, researchers, and investors working collectively to build
India’s future as a leading bioeconomy powerhouse.
Nidhi Chhibber
CEO, NITI Aayog

Foreword
Artificial intelligence has rightly captured the world’s
imagination. But the next mega-disruption is already taking
shape alongside it — and it may be even larger in scope. What
computing did to information, biotechnology is beginning
to do to matter itself: how we make medicines, grow food,
produce chemicals, materials and fuels, and safeguard human,
animal and planetary health.
The implication is profound. In the coming decades,
biotechnology will no longer remain a specialised sector. It
will become a foundational layer of the twenty-first-century
economy. Pharmaceuticals and agriculture are only the
beginning. Energy, textiles, chemicals, construction materials,
packaging, cosmetics and even electronics are being reimagined
through biological processes that can be cleaner, more efficient
and more sustainable than the industrial methods they replace.
The global race for leadership has already begun. The United
States has adopted a whole-of-government approach to
biomanufacturing. The European Union is linking biotechnology
to industrial competitiveness and climate resilience. China is
using successive five-year plans to industrialise at scale and
secure critical supply chains. The lesson is clear: leadership in
the biological age will not flow from scientific excellence alone.
It will depend on integrated systems that align research, capital,
regulation, skills, data, infrastructure and manufacturing. And
it will accrue disproportionately to those who move early.
India enters this decade from a position of genuine strength.
We have deep public research institutions, the world’s largest
vaccine manufacturing base, a globally trusted generics and
biosimilars industry, a fast-growing biotech startup ecosystem,
and a proven ability to deliver at population scale under
pressure. The task now is to convert this foundation into a
decisive, early and purposeful bid for global leadership.
That is the purpose of this roadmap. It sets out a ten-year
strategy to move India from a fast-growing biotechnology sector
to a globally significant bioeconomy — scaling from $195.3 billion
today toward $691 billion by 2035 and $2.6 trillion by 2047. Its
goal is to strengthen India’s competitive advantages, secure
resilience in medicines, food systems and critical bio-inputs, and
ensure that in the biological age, India shapes the rules, markets
and platforms of the future — rather than being shaped by them.
Debjani Ghosh
Distinguished Fellow,
NITI Aayog

xiiRoadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035

India stands at a pivotal moment in the global biological century. In just a decade, the country’s
BioEconomy has expanded sixteen-fold from $10 billion in 2014 to $195.3 billion in 2025 now
contributing 4.8% to national GDP.
This is no longer a story of promise alone; it is one of the demonstrated capabilities - validated by
India’s pandemic-era leadership in vaccines, the rapid rise of more than 10,000 biotech startups and
a globally trusted BioPharmaceutical and BioIndustrial manufacturing base.
This Roadmap argues that the next phase must go far beyond incremental growth. With decisive,
mission-mode execution, India can scale its BioEconomy to $691 billion by 2035 and $2.6 trillion by
2047 creating over 30 million high-value jobs and positioning the country among the world’s top
three biotechnology powers.
It sets out a strategic proposition for India to transition from traditional biological R&D to AI-enabled
biotechnology and next-generation biomanufacturing, driven by deeper collaboration across
ministries, departments, academia, industry and startups. Early action would allow India not merely
to participate in this transformation, but to shape the global rules, markets and platforms of the
biological age-an upheaval likely to rival, and perhaps surpass, the disruption unleashed by artificial
intelligence.
From Scientific Strength to Global Bio-Leadership
India enters this decade with rare strategic assets: deep public-sector research institutions, a mature
vaccine and generics industry, rapidly expanding bio-industrial capacity, rich biodiversity and a fast-
growing convergence between AI and biology. The BioE3 Policy anchored in Economy, Environment
and Employment provides the organizing framework to convert these strengths into global leadership
by breaking sectoral silos and tightly linking innovation to manufacturing, sustainability and livelihoods.
Globally, major powers are already moving at speed. The United States has adopted a whole-of-
government approach to biomanufacturing; the European Union is tying biotechnology to climate
and industrial competitiveness; China is deploying five-year plans to industrialize at scale. The
common learning from global best practices is that leadership flows not from research alone, but
from integrated systems that align capital, regulation, skills, data and production. India now has a
narrow but historic window to leapfrog from being the world’s most trusted supplier of affordable
healthcare products to becoming the world’s Bio-Capital.
The next frontier of biotechnology will be defined by deep convergence with AI, robotics, computational
biology and biosensor networks. Globally, advances in biologics, cell and gene therapies, precision
fermentation, synthetic biology and climate-smart agriculture are scaling only through AI-driven
design tools, robotic bio-foundries, automated DBTL cycles and sensor-rich bioprocessing. BioE3
must therefore embed digital and computational infrastructure as foundational public goods. Across
all sectoral growth trajectories, strong integration of AI, computational biology, robotics and biosensor-
enabled measurement systems will be essential to deliver the speed, precision and scalability needed
for next-generation biotechnology to achieve impact at scale.
All sectoral growth trajectories assume strong integration of AI, computational biology, robotics and
biosensor-enabled measurement systems that enable speed, precision and scalability.
A Mission-Driven Strategy for Scale
The roadmap proposes a decisive shift from fragmented programs to National BioMissions with time-
bound delivery. Flagship efforts being suggested are:
Executive Summary

1. GeneIndia - To make affordable gene and cell therapies and precision diagnostics available to
Indian patients, built on population-scale genomic capabilities.
2. AgriBio 2.0 - To deliver climate-resilient, farmer-owned crop varieties and quality-assured bio-
inputs that improve farm profitability and reduce chemical dependence.
3. BioX Foundry - To turn India’s industrial biotech innovations into commercial-scale products,
building a globally competitive base of synthetic-biology enterprises.
4. One Health Grid - To enable AI-assisted disease detection and coordinated response to emerging
infectious diseases, zoonotic threats and AMR across human, animal and environmental health.
5. Marine Biotechnology - To grow India’s marine-derived exports and coastal bioeconomies through
seaweed cultivation, marine bioproducts and blue-economy innovation.
6. BioPharmaNext - To establish India as a global hub for affordable, next-generation biologics,
biosimilars, vaccines, and cell and gene therapeutics.
S. No Mission Name Focus Area Lead Agency Outcome by 2035
1. GeneIndia Cell/gene therapies DBT + ICMR Affordable gene cures
2. AgriBio 2.0
CRISPR crops,
BioInputs
DBT+ ICAR + MoA&FW Climate-resilient crops
3.
BioX Foundry
DBTL innovation
platforms
CSIR + DBT 100 SynBio startups
4.
One Health
Grid Zoonosis+
BioSecurity
ICMR + MoHFW
Early detection +
outbreak preparedness
5. Marine Biotechnology Marine biotech, algae MoES + BIRAC
Exports + blue
economy
6. BioPharmaNext
Vaccines, biologics,
biosimilars, AI-driven
drug discovery
DBT + DOP + CDSCO
Global hub for
affordable,
next-generation
biologics
These are designed to build sovereign capabilities across advanced therapeutics, climate-resilient
agriculture, synthetic biology platforms, pandemic preparedness, blue-economy innovation and next-
generation biologics. Together, these missions form a coherent national architecture: genome-to-
clinic pipelines for affordable gene therapies; CRISPR-enabled crops and bio-inputs for food and
climate resilient crops; AI-driven biofoundries to shorten innovation cycles; digitally linked surveillance
systems to detect biological threats early; and globally competitive biopharma hubs capable of
supplying advanced medicines at scale.
To ensure delivery, the Roadmap calls for following empowered cross-ministerial governance
structures:
1. An Empowered Committee on National BioMissions
Establish a high-level, inter-ministerial committee to drive coordination, fast-track decisions, and
monitor implementation of national bioeconomy missions.
2. A National BioData Council
Create a central body to govern, standardize, and enable secure sharing of biological and health
data across sectors.
3. A BioEconomy Investment & Policy Forum
Set up a dedicated platform to align public and private investments, policy priorities, and global
partnerships in biotechnology.

4. A Dedicated Bio-IP Accelerated Pathway
Establish a specialized accelerated pathway to streamline intellectual property (IP) filing,
protection, and translation for biotechnology innovations. These measures will align budgets,
streamline regulatory processes, mobilize private capital, and strengthen the protection of Indian
intellectual property, thereby facilitating technology transfer and accelerating industry adoption
of biotechnology innovations.
These will align budgets, streamline regulation, mobilize private capital, protect and commercialize
Indian intellectual property.
Financing the Leap: From Prototype to Plant-Scale
A central proposal is the creation of a ₹50,000-crore BioEconomy Growth Fund (2026–2035) to close
India’s most dangerous gap - the “valley of death” between proof-of-concept and manufacturing at
scale. Anchored within the national RDI framework, this fund would deploy blended finance, catalytic
equity and infrastructure support for biomanufacturing, advanced therapeutics, fermentation
platforms, biomaterials, diagnostics and synthetic biology.
Coupled with targeted PLI-style incentives for biomanufacturing and reforms to accelerate regulatory
approvals, this financial engine is intended to convert India’s laboratory excellence into export-driven
BioManufacturing leadership reducing import dependence, strengthening health and food security
and anchoring high-value global supply chains on Indian soil.
Reforming Regulation for the Biological Age
Speed, predictability and scientific rigor in regulation will determine whether capital flows to India
or bypasses it. The Roadmap therefore recommends differentiated approval pathways for frontier
modalities - cell and gene therapies, synthetic biology, AI-designed drugs through regulatory
sandboxes, a standing reform task force, modernization of CDSCO and biotech-specific patent
protection measures to back IP-driven investment and technology translation.
Building the Talent to Lead
India’s bioeconomy ambition ultimately rests on the strength of its people. The sector already employs
over 3.3 million professionals and supports nearly 12,000 startups, yet with only around 259
researchers per million population and roughly a quarter of higher-education enrolment in STEM, the
talent pipeline remains too thin to sustain leadership in the biological age. The Roadmap therefore calls
for a decisive strengthening of bioscience leadership and the talent pipeline: revitalizing undergraduate
and postgraduate biotechnology education, expanding PhD and post-doctoral programmes with
internationally benchmarked fellowships, and building frontier skills in bioinformatics, AI-driven
biology, regulatory science and advanced biomanufacturing. Equally important are experiential and
immersion-based learning, re-entry pathways for diaspora scientists, and a vibrant entrepreneurship
ecosystem offering mentorship, incubation and commercialization support. By investing in people
as deliberately as in infrastructure and capital, India can convert its demographic advantage into a
durable source of scientific leadership — and ensure that the more than 30 million high-value jobs
envisaged by 2035 are matched by the skilled workforce needed to fill them.
A Call to National Action
This roadmap is ultimately a call to treat biotechnology as core national infrastructure on par with
digital public goods or energy systems. With BioE3 as its compass and mission-mode execution as
its engine, India can do more than scale: it can define standards, shape markets and ensure that the
benefits of the biological revolution healthcare, sustainability and prosperity flow not just to its own
citizens, but to the world.
The coming decade will decide whether India shapes the global bio-economy—or is shaped by it. This
roadmap sets out the actions required to ensure that by the end of this decade, India stands firmly as
a leader in the biological age.

Table of Content
India BioEconomy Projections - 2035 and beyond �� 1
India BioEconomy: Current Situation Analysis and Global Best Practices �� 3
Global Benchmarking: How the US, EU and China are Approaching the Bioeconomy �� 7
Key Recommendations to Accelerate India’s BioEconomy Transformation �� 10
The Cost of Inaction ��23
Annexures ��24
Glossary of Key & Technical Terms ��24
List of Abbreviations ��26

1Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
1. INDIA BIOECONOMY PROJECTIONS – 2035 AND BEYOND
India’s BioEconomy has grown 16-fold in the past decade, from $10 billion in 2014 to $195.3 billion
in 2025, contributing 4.8% to the national GDP.
The projected expansion of India’s BioEconomy assumes the integration of AI-native biology,
computational modelling, digital twins and data-driven biosystems engineering. Computational
biology will shorten discovery cycles, reduce cost of scale-up and strengthen India’s competitiveness
across BioPharma, BioIndustrial, BioAgriculture and BioIT.
Building on this foundation, the nation has set formidable targets to reach:
2030 2035 2047
$392 billion
Contributing 4-4.5% to
a projected $8 trillion
GDP
$691 bn
Contributing 5-6% to a projected $11
trillion GDP.
Generate over 30 million high-tech
jobs.
Establish 15 globally
competitive biotech companies.
$2.6 tn
Contributing
8-10% of an
envisaged
$30 trillion GDP
1.1 BioEconomy Projections 2030-2047 (Segment-wise)
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
BioIndustrialBioPharmaBioServicesBioAgriculture
204720352030
BioEconomy Projections (in billions of USD)
180.4
129.4
31.3
$392 bn
$691 bn
$2.6 tn
318
228
55
90
1195
857
208
338
51
(Source: ABLE Projection based on the current BioEconomy Report (IBER 2025) and envisaged estimates
based on the future potential)

2Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
1.2 Sector-by-Sector Transformation
Sector 2030 2035 2047 Key Drivers
BioIndustrial $180.4 bn$318 bn $1195 bn
Biofuels, Biogas, Bio-based chemicals,
Smart Proteins, Enzymes, Biopolymers,
Carbon Capture Technologies,
Probiotics, Food Grade Media,
Bioplastics, etc.
BioPharma $129.4 bn$228 bn $857 bn
Precision Medicines, Monoclonals,
Vaccines, Therapeutic Enzymes,
Biosimilars, Microbiome Therapeutics,
Peptide Drugs, mRNA Therapies,
APIs by Fermentation, CAR-T,
CGTs, Adjuvants, Stabilizing Agents
(Albumin), Viral Vectors, Cell Culture
Media, Personal Care Products
BioIT/Research $31.3 bn$55 bn $208 bn
Bio-AI, Multi-Omics-Genomics,
Proteomics, Metabolomics as Services,
Cheminformatics, Bioinformatics
BioAgri $51 bn $90 bn $338 bn
Gene-edited Crops, Biopesticides.
Biochar, Biofertilizers, Precision farming
and Biostimulants
(Source: ABLE Projection based on the current BioEconomy Report (IBER 2025) and envisaged estimates
based on the future potential)

3Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
2. INDIA BIOECONOMY: CURRENT SITUATION ANALYSIS AND GLOBAL BEST
PRACTICES
2.1 Anchored in Legacy, Guided by BIO-E3
India’s biotechnology journey reflects four decades of sustained and deliberate policymaking. It
began with the Technology Policy Statement of 1983 and the establishment of the Department
of Biotechnology (DBT), laying the institutional foundations for modern life sciences in the
country. Over successive decades, National Biotechnology Development Strategies issued in
2007, 2015–2020 and 2021-2025 has expanded the sector’s ambitions from research capacity-
building to translation, commercialization and industrial deployment. Some of the key initiatives
of the DBT which has catapulted the growth of the sector and has positioned India as one of
the top biotech destinations globally are:
2.1.1 Establishment of BIRAC - As the model Industry-interface organization of DBT which
created and ignited the biotech startup ecosystem in the country leading to supporting
over 4500 innovators, establishing over 95 incubation centers with an outcome of 800
products in the market by many first-generation entrepreneurs.
2.1.2 Genome India Program – Cataloging the Indian population genome for leadership in
precision healthcare.
2.1.3 National Biopharma Mission – In partnership with World Bank which catalyzed the
biopharma industry and led to development and commercialization of affordable,
indigenous, first of its kind healthcare products from vaccines (two in national
immunization programs - Rotavac and Cervavac) to diagnostics to medical devices (MRI
scanners) and instruments (perfusion bioreactors).
2.1.4 Mission Covid Suraksha – Led to the development/augmentation of five Covid vaccines
(Zycov-D, Corbevax, Gemcovac, Incovacc) based on novel technology platforms leading
to India’s becoming “Atmanirbhar” in vaccinating the entire population in the pandemic
and strengthen pandemic preparedness for mitigation of future risks.
This evolution has now culminated in the BioE3 Policy anchored in Biotechnology for
Economy, Environment and Employment which provides a unifying national framework to align
biotechnology with India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. BioE3 signals a decisive shift: from siloed
sectoral programs to convergence-driven development; from laboratory discovery to large-
scale manufacturing; and from narrow industrial metrics to inclusive growth, sustainability and
strategic autonomy.
Collectively, these policy phases chart India’s transformation from a science-led biotechnology
ecosystem to one increasingly oriented toward economic value creation and job generation -
moving decisively from Lab to Market to Livelihood. The national ambition is no longer confined
to supplying affordable medicines to the world. It is to shape the next generation of solutions
across BioIndustrial manufacturing, BioPharma innovation, BioAgriculture, BioEnergy and Bio-
AI convergence.
The digital and computational biology must form the backbone of India’s biotechnology
architecture. This includes national multi-omics datasets, sovereign biological compute
capacity, AI-driven modelling engines, high-throughput automation and sensor-enabled
real-time biological measurement. These infrastructures are now indispensable for Genomic
Medicine, CGTs, SynBio, Precision Agriculture and Industrial Biomanufacturing. Bio-AI hubs are
one of the enablers for building data-driven, cutting-edge, programmatic research support
for the Biomanufacturing initiative. The outcomes are expected to provide critical and novel
research leads impacting Health, Agriculture and Environment.

4Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
India’s biotechnology evolution reflects a clear progression:
Era Strategic MilestoneCore Objective Outcome / Next Phase
1986–2007
DBT Formation &
NBDS 2007
Build national
biotech capability Institutional base, biotech parks,
academic
networks
2015–2020
NBDS II: “Empowering
India through
Biotechnology”
Integrate health,
agriculture, energy
Translational research, bio- clusters,
BIRAC ecosystem
2021-2025NBDS III
Expand
BioEconomy to
$300 Bn
Deep-tech and data-driven innovation
2024 BioE3 Policy
Sustainable
technologies for

BioEconomy,
BioEnvironment &
BioEmployment
High performance Biomanufacturing
for bioproduction and bioeconomy
driven by integration of AI in biology,
strengthening of biological research
institution network-BRIC
By positioning biotechnology as core national infrastructure rather than a narrow industrial vertical,
BioE3 elevates the sector to a strategic pillar of India’s development model and linking innovation
directly to productivity, livelihoods, competitiveness and geopolitical relevance.
2.2 India BioEconomy Trajectory: Current Situation Analysis and Way Forward
India enters the next phase of its BioEconomy journey from a position of proven strength. The
country combines a formidable scientific base, globally competitive manufacturing capacity
and one of the world’s fastest-growing innovation ecosystems. Its pandemic-era response,
delivering vaccines at population scale while supplying much of the developing world was
not an isolated achievement, but the culmination of decades of institutional investment and
industrial learning.
This performance was not an anomaly, but the result of capabilities built over decades and
validated under unprecedented stress. With this foundation, India is well positioned to scale its
bioeconomy from current $195.3 billion to $2.6 trillion by 2047, embedding biotechnology
as a central driver of economic growth with strategic autonomy and employment generation.
Among the Highest
Outside the US
USFDA Approved Plants
700+
Manufacturing Strength
India BioEconomy 2025
Contributing 4.8% to India’s GDP
India is Emerging As a Global Bio-Manufacturing and Innovation Powerhouse,
Driving Inclusive Growth, Self-Reliance, and Global Leadership.
$195.30 billion
Biotech Startups
Up from just 50 a Decade Ago
Innovation Pipeline
10,000+
In Global Markets
Biosimilar Products
20+
Global Competitiveness
Proven During COVID-19
World-Class
Vaccine Ecosystem
Resilience and Impact
(Source: India BioEconomy Report 2025)

5Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
This scale and momentum reflect not only market growth, but the structural maturation of India’s
biotechnology ecosystem, from research to manufacturing, to global deployment.
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council
(BIRAC) have set a formidable target for the BioEconomy to reach $300+ billion by 2030. This is
a steppingstone towards a larger projected ambition of achieving a $691 billion BioEconomy and
$100+ billion in biotech exports by 2035. This milestone would position India among the top three
global biotech players.
This is just the beginning.
With the right push, India can reach
2030 2035 2047
$392 billion
4-4.5% GDP Contribution
Market leadership established
$691 billion
5-6% GDP Contribution Global
bio-hub status
$ 2.6 trillion
8-10 % GDP Contribution Bio-
superpower achieved
It will also generate 30 million+ high-value jobs.
Recent Growth Drivers
Over the past four years, India’s BioEconomy has grown at nearly 18% annually, powered by multiple
reinforcing engines.
The BioIndustrial segment has expanded rapidly, driven by industrial enzymes, bioplastics and
fermentation platforms, alongside the E20 ethanol blending mandate that has catalysed biofuel
production at scale. In parallel, the pandemic accelerated the BioPharma sector - boosting vaccine
manufacturing, biosimilars and biologics while positioning India as a preferred global destination for
contract research and manufacturing through its CRO and CDMO ecosystem.
The Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC), an initiative of DBT, is a leading network
of elite biological research institutions in the country. These top-tier institutions have synergized their
efforts to maximise the impact of biotechnology. Through key strategic partnerships, both nationally
and globally, with academia and industry, BRIC is transforming inter-institutional and interdisciplinary
research, research training, and the commercialisation of research.
Key Growth Drivers of India’s BioEconomy
• ~18% annual growth over the past four years.
• BioIndustrial surge driven by enzymatic and microbial solutions bioplastics & fermentation
platforms.
• E20 ethanol mandate accelerating large-scale biofuel production.
• BioPharma expansion through vaccines, biologics & biosimilars post-COVID.
• Global CRO/CDMO leadership strengthening India’s position as a preferred innovation and
manufacturing hub.
Together, these drivers have resulted in broad-based, multi-sectoral growth across India’s BioEconomy.
The sector-wise distribution of the BioEconomy during 2020–2024 underscores the diverse and
complementary contributions of BioIndustrial, BioPharma, BioAgri, BioEnergy and BioServices
positioning India as a future global leader in biotechnology and setting the foundation for the next
phase of scale and value creation (Source: India BioEconomy Repo
rt 2025 & 2026).

6Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
2.3 Policy and infrastructure Enablers
India’s rapid expansion of the bioeconomy - rising to $195.3 billion by 2025 reflects
coordinated action by the Centre and states to strengthen financing, biomanufacturing,
regulation, infrastructure and talent pipelines. Central initiatives supplied the catalytic capital
and national frameworks: large-scale incentive programs (including successive Production-
Linked Incentive tranches for pharmaceuticals, APIs and medical devices) and targeted funds,
de-risked manufacturing investments, encouraging firms to move from commodity supply
into higher-value biologics, vaccines and biomanufacturing. PLI-style support and coordinated
industrial policy are credited with attracting large investments and boosting production and
exports across life-sciences value chains.
Physical and innovation infrastructure supported by central schemes multiplied entrepreneurial
activity. The National Biotech Park scheme and DBT/BIRAC incubation programs financed
biotech parks, incubation centers and translational facilities across states. This catalyzed start-
up formation and manufacturing unit clusters. These shared assets reduced CapEx barriers
for young entrepreneurs, enabling many to scale rapidly to commercialize into domestic and
global markets.
State governments amplified national momentum with locally tailored life-sciences policies,
land and tax incentives and single-window facilitation. States such as Karnataka, Gujarat and
Telangana rolled out comprehensive biotechnology policies, created biotech parks and eased
approvals to attract manufacturing and R&D investment. Hyderabad and Bengaluru emerged as
major life-sciences hubs, drawing global firms and large capital commitments. State initiatives
focused on enabling talent with skill development programmes, providing subsidised land and
utility support and forging industry-academia linkages. These initiatives compounded national
measures to expand capacity and outputs.
2.4 SWOT Analysis of India’s BioEconomy
Key Strengths
• World’s largest vaccine manufacturers and global leader in
Generics.
• Biosimilars and BioPharma innovation. India is the trusted
engine of affordable and scalable healthcare solutions for
the world.
• Strong public research institutions backbone (BRIC, CSIR,
DBT, DST, ICAR, ICMR, NIF, NRDC, TIFR and institutes like
IISc, IITs, IISERs).
• BIRAC ecosystem: 4500+ startups, 100+ incubators.
• Biodiversity wealth: Marine, Agri, Microbial, Faunal.
• Focused alternative energy sources to reduce energy
dependency – BioFuels, BioCNG from agriculture residues,
MSW, pressmud, etc.
Key Opportunities
• Convergence of Biology and Engineering to scale Bioprocesses.
• AI + Biology convergence.
• CRISPR crops for climate resilience.
• Fermentation and sustainable bio-manufacturing.
• Export-oriented Bioplastics, Bioactives, Biocatalytic Enzymes.
• Deep-tech VC momentum for Healthcare, Food, Agriculture.
• AI-robotics-biosensor convergence enabling autonomous
and continuous biomanufacturing, improving yields, reducing
costs and accelerating scale-up across sectors.
Key Challenges
• Low mid/late-stage capital access (Series A/B crunch).
• Regulatory complexity and multi-agency approval processes
that slow innovation across agriculture, pharma and synthetic
biology — pointing to the need for clearer, faster and more
internationally aligned pathways, particularly for new-
generation products such as advanced therapies, alternative
proteins, probiotics and enzyme-based manufacturing.
• Limited GMP/GLP Biofoundry and scale-up infrastructure.
• High production cost due to imported raw material dependence.
• Limited validated animal models and translational platforms.
• Inadequate clinical trial networks and translational centres.
• Fragmented patient and disease data.
• Limited access to and preservation of biological resources.
• Weak regulatory science and safety evaluation capacity.
Key Threats
• Low-cost Chinese Biotech imports (Biocatalytic Enzymes,
CRISPR kits, reagents).
• Geopolitical risks in IP, apprehensions over dual-use
technologies and talent flight.
• Stringent Biodiversity Act, a deterrent for biotech startups.
• Absence of support to counter prolonged gestation and
capital lock-in in Biopharma.

7Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
3. GLOBAL BENCHMARKING: HOW THE US, EU AND CHINA ARE
APPROACHING THE BIOECONOMY
The global BioEconomy is rapidly transforming as nations, increasingly leveraging biotechnology
to achieve economic growth, sustainability, improved healthcare outcomes and climate resilience.
According to World BioEconomy Forum, projections indicate substantial expansion, with global
BioEconomy contributions surging from $4 trillion in 2025 to over $30 trillion by 2050, representing
nearly 13% of the estimated $228 trillion global GDP. Emerging markets, particularly India, China
and Indonesia, are expected to be significant growth drivers. As per the World in 2050 report, E7
economies, including India, forecasted to increase their share of world GDP from approximately 35%
to nearly 50%, where the BioEconomy will play a pivotal role.
3.1 Global Progress and Best Practices
Across major economies, the bioeconomy has moved from strategy formulation to structured
implementation.
• In the United States, bioeconomy policy is now anchored in a whole of government
approach under the Executive Order on Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing
(2022), with a clear focus on expanding domestic biomanufacturing capacity, strengthening
supplychain resilience and coordinating federal action across healthcare, energy, agriculture
and security domains. Emphasis is placed on scaling production infrastructure and
addressing workforce and standards gaps, rather than R&D alone.
• The European Union has progressed through successive bioeconomy strategies from
vision-setting to execution. Its most recent Strategic Framework (2025) positions the
bioeconomy as a driver of both industrial competitiveness and sustainability, supported
by strong measurement systems, regional implementation through action plans and
integration with circular economy and climate policies. The EU experience highlights the
role of consistent indicators, regional delivery mechanisms and regulatory coherence in
translating biobased innovation into economic outcomes.
• China represents a different pathway, characterised by plan-led industrial scale-up.
Through its 14
th
Five-Year Plan for Bioeconomy Development (2021–2025), China identifies
biotechnology and biomanufacturing as strategic sectors, links industrial expansion directly
with national development priorities and explicitly integrates biosecurity governance with
economic and industrial objectives. This model demonstrates how long-term planning,
manufacturing-led scale and regional pilot zones are used to accelerate deployment and
reduce dependence on external supply chains.
• Australia’s bioeconomy follows a translation-led, industry-aligned model, where strong
research capability is closely linked to commercialization. While there is no single unified
national bioeconomy strategy, the sector is advanced through frameworks such as the
National Reconstruction Fund, Modern Manufacturing Strategy, and Industry Growth
Program, which prioritise biotechnology, medical manufacturing, and bio-industrial scale-
up. The bioeconomy is estimated at AUD 100–120 billion (USD ~65–80 billion), spanning
biopharma, medtech, agri-biotech, and industrial biotechnology. Australia has built global
strengths in clinical trials, vaccine development, and precision medicine, supported by a
robust regulatory environment and strong IP systems. Institutions like CSIRO play a central
role in bridging research and industry, particularly in synthetic biology and digital biology.
A defining feature of Australia’s approach is its focus on translational infrastructure and
global integration, including clinical trial networks, innovation precincts, and emerging
biomanufacturing capabilities. In line with global trends, Australia is investing in AI-enabled
drug discovery, bioinformatics, and advanced bioprocessing, recognising digital bio-
infrastructure as critical for competitiveness.

8Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
Across these models, a growing convergence around a few best practices is noted: treating
biomanufacturing as the core translation layer between research and economic value; using
targeted finance and derisking instruments to crowd in private capital; and embedding
measurement of value added, jobs and productivity within governance frameworks. Global
experience suggests that sustained leadership in the bioeconomy emerges not from isolated
investments in research, but from integrated systems that align manufacturing capacity,
standards, skills, finance and data-driven monitoring.
A key global learning is the centrality of computational biology, AI-enabled design platforms,
automated bioreactors and biosensor-based quality systems in achieving biomanufacturing
scale and leadership. Leading economies treat digital bio-infrastructure not just as lab science
but as strategic assets.
BioEconomy targets: Global Positioning and Strategic Implications
Country Current Size % of GDP 2040 Target Focus Sectors
USA
1,6
$950 bn ~5% $3.5 tn SynBio, AI Biology
EU
2
$2.6 tn ~7.5% $6 tn Circular BioEconomy
China
3
$500–600 bn ~4% $2 tn
Gene editing,
industrial enzymes
Brazil
4,6
$300 bn ~10% $600 bn
Bio Ethanol,
Biodiversity
India
5
$195.3 bn 4.8% $ 1.36 tn
Bio Industrial Bio
Pharma, Bio Agri
Australia
6
$65-80 bn (est.) ~3-4% (est.)
~$150-200 bn
(Indicative
trajectory)
Biopharma, MetTech,
AgriBiotech, Synbio,
Clinical Research
Global BioEconomy Forecast
Year Global BioEconomy Size % of Global GDP Source
7
2020 ~$4.2 tn 4.5% OECD, EU JRC
2025 ~$8 tn 6% McKinsey, BIS
2035 ~$16–18 tn 8–10% GBS 2023, FAO
2050 ~$30–32 tn ~12–13% WB, FAO, BCG
1 United States: USDA BioPreferred Program; National Academies of Sciences
2 European Union: European Commission – Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy
3 China: China Bioeconomy Development Plan (2022–2035)
4 Brazil: Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI)
5 IBER 2026 and ABLE’s projections.
6 ABLE compilation; figures represent indicative estimates derived from multiple publicly available sources and should be
interpreted as directional rather than official national statistics.

9Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
Projected BioEconomy Share in Global GDP (2020–2050)
7
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35 BioData
Segments
Market Size (Trillion USD)
Year
BioServices
BioIndustry
BioAgri
BioPharma
2050204520402035203020252020
~$4.2 tn
(4.5%)
~$8 tn
(6%)
~$12-13 tn
(~7-8%)
~$16-18 tn
(8-10%)
~$24 tn
(~11%)
~$27-28 tn
(~11-12%)
~$30-32 tn
(~12-13%)
• Biotechnology leadership is now a time-bound geopolitical and economic opportunity.
• The coming five years will determine whether India merely scales or shapes the biological
century.
• With BioE3 as the organising framework, India has the scientific depth, entrepreneurial
energy, manufacturing base and policy momentum to emerge as the world’s Bio-Capital.
• What is required now is mission-mode execution at national scale.
7 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022. The state of the world’s BioEconomy. Rome: FAO.
Global BioEconomy Summit, 2020. Global BioEconomy Summit 2020: Conference Report. Berlin: German BioEconomy Council.
Global BioEconomy Summit, 2023. Global BioEconomy Summit 2023: Strategic Outcomes Report. Berlin: German BioEconomy
Council.
McKinsey Global Institute, 2020. The Bio Revolution: Innovations transforming economies, societies and our lives. [online] Available
at: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/the-bio-revolution [Accessed 16 May 2025].
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 2021. Global Forum on the BioEconomy: Key Outcomes
Report. Paris: OECD.
World Bank, 2023. Long-Term Growth Model: Sectoral Projections to 2050. Washington, D.C.: The World Bank.
Disclaimer: The segment-wise coloured bars represent analytical estimates of the projected global bioeconomy composition,
developed using current industry composition, expected technology adoption trends, and published global bioeconomy outlooks
from the FAO, McKinsey, OECD, the World Bank, and the Global Bioeconomy Summit. They are intended only for illustrative
purposes and do not represent official segment-wise projections from the cited organizations.

10Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
4. KEY RECOMMENDATIONS TO ACCELERATE INDIA’S BIOECONOMY
TRANSFORMATION
To realise India’s $2.6 trillion BioEconomy vision by 2047, the country must move from fragmented
initiatives to a coordinated national execution architecture. This will require five mutually reinforcing
interventions: mission-mode national BioMissions to scale priority sectors; empowered committees
to drive cross-ministerial coordination and evidence-based investment decisions; regulatory reforms
to accelerate approvals while ensuring safety and trust; a strengthened bioscience leadership and
talent pipeline; and a ₹50,000 crore BioEconomy Growth Fund to support innovation, scale-up,
infrastructure and biomanufacturing. Together, these interventions can position India not merely as a
fast-growing biotechnology market, but as a globally significant bioeconomy leader.
India Bioeconomy
Key Strategic Interventions
National Bio-Missions
▪GenIndia
▪AgriBio 2.0
▪BioX Foundry
▪One Health Grid
▪Marine Biotechnology
▪BioPharmaNext
Empowered Committees
▪Empowered Committee on
National BioMissions
▪National BioData Council
▪BioEconomy Investment Forum
▪BioIP & Innovation Evaluation
Agency
Regulatory Reforms
▪Regulatory Sandbox
▪Streamlined Approval
Framework
▪CDSCO Modernization
▪AI-led Regulatory Systems
fi50,000 Crore Fund (2026–2035) — BioEconomy Growth Fund
Bioscience Leadership & Talent
▪Focus areas: Innovation,
Scale-up, Infrastructure
▪Mid-to-Late Stage Funding
▪Viability Gap Financing
▪Blended Finance Instruments
▪BioManufacturing Infrastructure
▪PLI for Biomanufacturing
▪Strengthen Public Institutions Network
▪Strengthen PhD & Postdoc Programs
▪Enhanced Research Fellowships
▪Build Science Leaders, not just
Graduates
▪Experiential & Immersion Learning
▪Postdoc Entrepreneurship Programs

11Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
4.1 Create National Bio Missions Through Time-Bound Execution Plans
India currently has multiple biotechnology-related missions and initiatives being implemented
at various stages by DBT, DST, ICMR and other agencies. While these efforts have significantly
strengthened the ecosystem, there is a need to consolidate and align them under a more
coordinated national framework.
Going forward, India should anchor its next phase of growth through a focused set of nationally
coordinated BioMissions, each backed by 10-year implementation roadmaps, ring-fenced
budgets, clear lead-ministry accountability, and real-time outcome monitoring.
These missions should evolve beyond grant-based programmes into integrated delivery
platforms, combining R&D, manufacturing scale-up, regulatory alignment, workforce
development, and assured procurement pathways to drive measurable outcomes.
Proposed National Bio-Missions and Expected Outcomes
Large-scale and multi-disciplinary effort required to grow India’s BioEconomy with the aim to
develop new products and create a supportive ecosystem for innovation demands national-
level organisations.
S. NoMission Name Focus Area Lead Agency Outcome by 2035
1.GeneIndia Cell/gene therapies DBT + ICMR
Affordable gene
cures
2.AgriBio 2.0
CRISPR crops,
BioInputs
DBT + ICAR +
MoA&FW
Climate-resilient
crops
3.
BioX Foundry
DBTL innovation
platforms
CSIR + DBT
100 SynBio
startups
4.
One Health
Grid
Zoonosis+BioSecurity
ICMR + MoHFW
Early detection
+ outbreak
preparedness
5.
Marine
Biotechnology
Marine biotech, algaeMoES + DBT
Exports + blue
economy
6.BioPharmaNext
Vaccines, biologics,
biosimilars, AI-driven
drug discovery
DBT + DOP +
CDSCO
Global hub
for affordable,
next-generation
biologics
4.1.1 GeneIndia: Building India’s Affordable Cell & Gene Therapy Ecosystem
India faces a substantial burden of genetic and rare diseases, but access to advanced
cell and gene therapies remains extremely limited. The country already possesses strong
foundational assets - GenomeIndia for population-scale genomic reference data, the
National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD) with its network of Centres of Excellence
(CoEs), DBT’s UMMID initiative for early diagnosis and workforce development and
ICMR–DBT guidelines for safe and ethical gene therapy research. However, these efforts
are currently fragmented. The GeneIndia Mission should aim to integrate these national
strengths to build a seamless pathway from early detection to affordable gene and cell
therapy deployment, tailored to Indian genetic diversity and health system needs.
Key Recommendations:
(i) Expand India’s Genomic Foundation: GeneIndia should significantly strengthen the
country’s genomic foundation by expanding the GenomeIndia reference genome
and variant frequency datasets to 50,000 and subsequently to 1 lakh individuals,
thereby enabling more precise identification of pathogenic variants across diverse

12Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
Indian populations. This expanded dataset will lay the groundwork for a robust
discovery pipeline linking genomic evidence to clinical phenotypes, ultimately
guiding the development of India-specific vectors, editing strategies and therapeutic
constructs.
(ii) Strengthen Early Detection through Newborn Screening: Universal newborn
screening should be progressively expanded within existing legal and ethical
frameworks, building on DBT’s UMMID programme and NPRD Centres of Excellence,
with appropriate legislative review and safeguards. This alignment will create a
seamless national pipeline that continually identifies, diagnoses and channels eligible
patients into gene therapy pathways at the earliest opportunity.
(iii) Create National Translation and Clinical Trial Platforms: Accelerate translation
from laboratory to clinic, GeneIndia should establish 3–5 national technology hubs
focused on AAV and lentiviral vector systems, non-viral delivery platforms, CRISPR
and base editing technologies and RNA therapeutics. Regulatory sandboxes for
first in human CGTs. These hubs should provide the IND-enabling capabilities,
analytical validation and scalable vector development required to drive multiple
gene therapy candidates toward clinical readiness. In parallel, select NPRD CoEs
should be upgraded into Gene Therapy Clinical Units with GMP-compliant cell
processing facilities, enhanced biosafety infrastructure and long-term patient
monitoring systems. These upgraded centres should anchor Phase I–III clinical trials
under ICMR–DBT guidelines and be supported by harmonised national registries
that capture safety, durability and real-world outcomes.
(iv) Anchor Affordable Manufacturing and Access: To ensure long-term affordability,
access and national self-reliance, GeneIndia should prioritise the establishment of
regional GMP vector manufacturing hubs and a national cell therapy manufacturing
centre, leveraging DBT–BIRAC’s biomanufacturing framework for cost optimisation
and large-scale production. Access mechanisms should be closely aligned with the
NPRD’s financial assistance schemes and strengthened through outcome-based
procurement mechanisms led by MoHFW and NHA. Initial disease priorities should
include Hemophilia A/B, SMA, β-Thalassemia, Sickle Cell Disease and key Lysosomal
Storage Disorders. As a timeline, it is proposed that foundational hubs and upgraded
CoEs become operational by 2027; multiple clinical trials and a national outcomes
registry by 2030; India’s first homegrown vector-based therapy reaches Phase III
by 2033; and by 2035, two affordable, indigenous gene therapies be approved and
deployed at scale across the country.
(v) Build a Genome-to-Therapy Digital Innovation Pipeline: Integrate computational
genomics, AI-based variant annotation, digital twins of disease progression and
automated vector-design platforms to power a genome-to-therapy innovation
pipeline. Deploy biosensors for long-term patient monitoring post-gene therapy.
By 2035, GeneIndia should deliver a nationally integrated ecosystem and indigenous platforms
for discovery, manufacturing and delivery of affordable gene cures for prevalent genetic
diseases - positioning India as a global hub for affordable cell and gene therapies, while
transforming access for patients with rare and genetic diseases at home.
4.1.2 AgriBio 2.0:
Envisioned as India’s flagship mission to secure food systems in an era of climate
volatility while improving farm profitability and ecological sustainability. The mission will
leverage modern biotechnological tools, particularly CRISPR-based gene editing and
the promotion of BioInputs, with a science based and transparent regulatory framework
which ensures biosafety, public confidence and compliance with national and international
standards. This mission’s core anticipated outcome by 2035 is the development and

13Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
deployment of a range of climate - resilient crops exhibiting enhanced tolerance to
abiotic stresses such as drought, heat and salinity, alongside the widespread adoption
of effective and environmentally friendly biofertilizers and biopesticides thus, protecting
soil health, minimizing adverse ecological impacts and safeguarding human, animal and
environmental health along with ensuring equitable access to farmers.
Key Recommendations:
(i) Converge National Agriculture and Biotechnology Programmes: The Mission is
not intended to create parallel programmes, but to integrate and amplify existing
national agriculture and sustainability initiatives, accelerating the translation of
scientific breakthroughs into field-level impact at scale.
AgriBio 2.0 should be built upon and integrate several existing national programs
aimed at making Indian agriculture both profitable and environmentally sustainable,
while accelerating the deployment of next-generation biotechnologies.
India already has a strong foundation through initiatives such as the National Mission
on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) for
organic farming, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, National Food
Security Mission and the Soil Health Card Scheme, which collectively promote efficient
nutrient management, climate-resilient farming practices, water-use efficiency and
reduced chemical dependence. Additionally, DBT’s own flagship efforts - such as
the Biotech-KISAN programme, Biotech Krishi Innovation Science Applications
Network, Farmer Resource Groups (FRGs), Biofuel and Bioenergy Mission and
support for Biofertilizer and Biopesticide Quality Control Labs - provide a proven
translational ecosystem for farmer-centric innovation and technology adoption.
Building on these platforms, AgriBio 2.0 must leverage advanced biotechnological
tools - particularly CRISPR-based gene editing, genomic selection and molecular
breeding—to develop and deploy a new generation of climate-resilient crop varieties
with improved tolerance to drought, heat, salinity and emerging pests.
(ii) Accelerate Development of High-Quality Bio-Inputs: The Mission should promote
the widespread adoption of high-quality bioinputs, including biofertilizers,
biopesticides, microbial consortia and soil health enhancers, aligned with the
national goals of reducing chemical fertilizer usage under the Bharat Krishi Initiative
and Sustainable Agriculture Mission. Field-testing, validation and farmer-scale
demonstrations of these innovations will be undertaken through the Biotech-KISAN
hubs, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and state agricultural universities, ensuring
seamless transfer of improved crop varieties and bioinputs to farming communities.
This quality-first sequencing protects farmer trust and directly serves national goals
of reducing chemical fertilizer dependence.
(iii) Establish BioInput Production and Innovation Clusters: To ensure affordability,
accessibility and environmental stewardship, the AgriBio 2.0 should establish a
network of BioInput Production and Innovation Clusters - co-located with existing
DBT-supported rural biotechnology hubs - to scale up indigenous production of
biofertilizers, biostimulants, biopesticides and microbial seed coatings. These
efforts will be further supported by convergence with the PM PRANAM Scheme (for
reducing chemical fertilizer dependence), Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Initiative and
state-level organic and natural farming missions.
By 2035, AgriBio 2.0 should aim to deliver commercially deployable climate-resilient crop
varieties, ensure the mainstreaming of environmentally friendly bioinputs across major cropping
systems and position India as a global leader in sustainable biotechnologies that enhance farm
profitability while safeguarding ecological health and farmer interest.

14Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
4.1.3 BioX Foundry:
This is proposed as a core component of India’s BioE3 Policy, building directly upon
the emerging DBT National Biofoundry Network, Bio-AI Hubs and Biomanufacturing
Hubs. These platforms, highlighted in DBT’s approved Implementation Plan for High-
Performance Biomanufacturing, provide the foundation for establishing fully automated
Design–Build–Test–Learn (DBTL) innovation cycles essential for modern synthetic biology
and metabolic engineering. The BioX Foundry mission aims to operationalize and scale
these DBTL systems across a distributed network of national hubs, enabling India to
move from a research-centric biotechnology ecosystem toward a globally competitive
biomanufacturing hub. The Biofoundries also provide wide access to innovators,
academia and startups to scale their bio-based innovative products to pre-commercial
scales without IP as a service.
Key Recommendations:
(i) Build World-Class DBTL platforms for product innovation. BioX Foundry should drive
India’s synthetic biology capability to the next level by supporting the development
across:
• Novel biomaterials
• High-value biochemicals
• Sustainable industrial enzymes
• Smart proteins
• Next-generation biopharmaceuticals.
The mission envisions that, by 2035, these DBTL platforms, supported by AI-driven
predictive design tools and advanced laboratory automation, will collectively enable
the incubation, growth and scale-up of at least 100 high-potential SynBio startups.
These enterprises will be empowered to rapidly prototype and validate bio-based
products, transition into pilot and pre-commercial scale production and enter
regulated markets with technical, regulatory and infrastructure support from the
Biofoundry and Biomanufacturing Hub ecosystem.
(ii) Strengthen the continuum from innovation to scale-up by tightly integrating
Biofoundries with next-generation Bio-AI Hubs to accelerate the DBTL cycle. This
connected architecture spanning design to deployment will sharply reduce the
time, cost and risk of scaling bio-based products, while creating shared national
infrastructure that can be accessed by startups, academic groups and industry alike.
(iii) Anchor Global Manufacturing Leadership and Talent Development: aligned with the
vision articulated in the BioE3 Policy and the National Bioeconomy Roadmap, BioX
Foundry should be positioned to play a pivotal role in transforming India into a trusted
global supplier of high-performance biomanufactured products. BioX Foundry must
be built around robotic automation, AI-native DBTL cycles, biosensor-embedded
bioprocessing and computational metabolic modelling, creating a national platform
for autonomous synthetic biology innovation.
(iv) Priority actions include strengthening domestic supply chains, mobilising public–
private partnerships, developing specialised talent in automation and computational
biology and positioning India as a preferred destination for contract biomanufacturing
and fermentation-based production.
By 2035, BioX Foundry Mission should help establish a globally recognized ecosystem capable
of delivering sustainable, affordable and competitive bio-based innovations that advance
India’s economic, industrial and strategic interests. BioX Foundry must be built around robotic
automation, AI-native DBTL cycles, biosensor-embedded bioprocessing and computational
metabolic modelling, creating a national platform for autonomous synthetic biology innovation.

15Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
4.1.4 One Health Grid:
Recognising the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health, the
One Health Grid mission prioritises the establishment of a robust surveillance network
and enhanced capabilities for zoonotic disease prediction, prevention and response,
alongside strengthening biosecurity measures. The primary anticipated outcome by 2035
is a significantly strengthened national surveillance system capable of early detection
and rapid response to emerging infectious diseases and biological threats.
Key Recommendations:
(i) Anchor the Grid within the National One Health Mission: It is proposed that the
One Health Grid mission be positioned as a core operational pillar within the National
One Health Mission (NOHM), leveraging India’s emerging whole-of-government
architecture that integrates human, animal, environmental and wildlife health systems.
As highlighted during the National One Health Mission Assembly 2025, India has already
begun implementing integrated surveillance across slaughterhouses, bird sanctuaries,
zoos and wastewater facilities for tracking pathogens and antimicrobial resistance,
alongside joint outbreak investigations and medical countermeasure development.
The One Health Grid mission will build upon these initiatives by establishing a digitally
connected, interoperable national surveillance network capable of early detection,
risk assessment and rapid response to zoonotic and climate-linked threats. This Grid
will incorporate real-time data streams from IDSP/IHIP, Bharat Pashudhan, VRDL
networks, environmental monitoring systems and wildlife health platforms, enabling
evidence-driven outbreak anticipation and biosecurity action across sectors.
(ii) Strengthen High-Containment and Rapid-Response Capacity: To drive operational
readiness, it is proposed that the One Health Grid integrate and strengthen the
23 BSL-3/4 laboratories established under NOHM, while expanding their linkages
to state disease diagnostic labs, veterinary labs, forest department networks and
environmental health laboratories. These high-containment facilities recognized as
India’s first line of defense will be embedded into a hub-and-spoke model reaching
district-level rapid response units, supported by National Joint Outbreak Response
Teams (NJORT), Public Health Emergency Operation Centres (PHEOCs) and joint
SOPs for coordinated action.
(iii) Deploy Biosensor Networks: Establish nationwide biosensor network across
livestock farms, water bodies, slaughterhouses and wastewater systems for real-
time pathogen detection and predictive outbreak analytics.
(iv) Integrate Research, Genomics and Medical Countermeasures: Ongoing ICMR-led
initiatives such as multi-sectoral syndromic surveillance, hospital wastewater AMR
monitoring, bird sanctuary surveillance and pathogen discovery programmes will be
integrated into the Grid’s real-time dashboard, which already hosts initiatives from
states, central departments and multilaterals.
DBT’s role will be central through its support for genomic platforms, CRISPR-based
diagnostics, AMR surveillance innovations and the emerging National Biofoundry
Network, which can provide rapid design–build–test capability for medical
countermeasures, environmental biosensors and pathogen detection kits. ICMR
will anchor harmonised laboratory protocols, multiplex diagnostic networks and
medical countermeasure R&D, while NCDC will integrate human health surveillance
under IDSP/IHIP, develop risk maps and coordinate joint outbreak investigations.
The One Health Grid mission will additionally harness community-level reporting
through ASHAs, Pashu Sakhis and forest frontline staff, an approach recommended
during the NOHM State–UT workshop for improving early warning and ground-level
intelligence.

16Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
By 2035, the proposed One Health Grid should aim to deliver a unified, technology-enabled
national early warning system with predictive analytics, AI-assisted risk scoring and cross-
border outbreak intelligence. This will result in a significantly strengthened national biosecurity
architecture capable of rapid detection and response to emerging infectious diseases,
zoonotic spillovers, AMR hotspots and environmental health threats. Through coordinated
engagement of MoHFW, DBT, ICMR, ICAR, MoEFCC, DAHD, NCDC and state governments,
the Grid must support India’s long-term goal of achieving One Earth, One Health, One Future
while transforming the nation into a global leader in integrated pandemic preparedness and
multisectoral health security.
4.1.5 Marine Biotechnology:
This mission aims to harness the vast potential of India’s marine resources through
advancements in marine biotechnology and algae- based technologies to drive
innovation in areas such as marine bioproducts, nutraceuticals and bioenergy derived
from algae. By 2035, the Mission should aim to deliver a substantial expansion in marine-
derived exports, anchor large-scale seaweed cultivation and catalyse vibrant coastal
bioeconomies positioning India as a leading player in sustainable ocean-based industries.
Key Recommendations:
(i) Anchor the Mission within the National Blue Economy Framework: The Marine
Biotechnology Mission should be positioned as a strategic pillar of the National Blue
Economy Policy, building on MoES-led initiatives, PMMSY seaweed interventions
and expanding R&D efforts. India’s coastline and EEZ offer substantial potential for
marine bioresources and the Blue Economy framework emphasizes sustainability,
innovation and livelihood generation as core imperatives.
(ii) Scale Seaweed Cultivation as a Flagship Opportunity: A foundational opportunity
lies in scaling seaweed cultivation, which is already supported under PMMSY with
₹640 crore allocated for infrastructure and support, enabling establishment of a
seaweed park in Tamil Nadu, a brood bank in Daman & Diu and approval of over
46,000 rafts and 65,330 tubenets for farmers.
Seaweed cultivation requires no land, freshwater, fertilisers or pesticides, making
it inherently sustainable and climate-positive. India hosts 844 seaweed species, of
which around 60 are commercially valuable, creating large potential for biomaterials,
phycocolloids (alginate, agar, carrageenan), nutraceuticals and biostimulants.
Seaweed-derived biostimulants are already recognised under the Fertilizer (Control)
Order, enabling faster translation into agri-bioinput markets.
Integrating computational marine biology, biosensors for ocean-health monitoring
and AI-based aquaculture optimization will enhance yield forecasting, species
protection and blue-economy resilience.
(iii) Accelerate R&D–Industry Translation and Coastal Livelihoods: The Marine
Biotechnology Mission should focus on R&D–industry translation, biorefinery
development, value-added marine bioproducts and sustainable coastal livelihoods.
The EY Blue Economy report emphasises marine biotechnology as one of India’s
highest-potential innovation sectors, supported by DBT’s BioE3 Policy and Deep
Ocean Mission bioprospecting initiatives. It also highlights the surge in investor
interest, advanced ocean data systems, sustainable aquaculture and marine biotech
as emerging growth pillars. Aligning the Mission with these national priorities
strengthens India’s leadership in sustainable ocean resource utilization.
(iv) Create Integrated Marine Bioresource Hubs: The Mission should establish integrated
marine bioresource hubs, leveraging MoES ocean observation systems, NCCR’s
coastal research capabilities, DBT’s bioprocessing and synthetic biology platforms

17Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
and ICAR–CMFRI’s seaweed and mariculture expertise. The Mission should prioritise
high-value product pipelines - nutraceuticals, marine enzymes, biopolymers,
phycocolloids, specialty chemicals and algae-based bioenergy—supported by pilot-
scale biorefineries. The Community-led models highlighted in national case studies,
such as Odisha’s women-led seaweed farming, demonstrate scalable livelihood
impacts and a blueprint for social inclusion.
By 2035, the Mission should aim to significantly expand India’s marine-derived exports, unlock
large-scale seaweed farming as announced in national budget priorities, stimulate coastal
bioeconomies and develop globally competitive marine bioproduct industries. This will contribute
directly to the country’s vision of a $100-billion blue economy and Viksit Bharat 2047, while
ensuring sustainability and resilience as emphasized in the Blue Economy policy narrative.
4.1.6 BioPharmaNext:
BioPharmaNext aims to position India as a global hub for next-generation
biopharmaceuticals by 2035. Building on India’s demonstrated leadership in vaccines
and biosimilars and anchored by the foundational investments of Biopharma SHAKTI
announced in the Union Budget (2026-2027). This mission will scale affordable biologics,
advance monoclonal antibodies and integrate AI-driven drug discovery with cutting-
edge manufacturing platforms, including emerging cell and gene therapy segments.
Anchored by DBT, DoP, MOHFW and CDSCO, BioPharmaNext will strengthen regulatory
science, clinical research capacity and global partnerships to ensure that advanced
therapies are not only innovative but also accessible. The mission complements GeneIndia
which focuses on curative frontier therapies by anchoring scale, affordability and global
supply in mainstream biologics.
Key Recommendations:
(i) Establish India as a Global Biopharmaceutical Hub by 2035: Building directly on
the economic opportunity, BioPharmaNext must capture India’s rare window to lead
global value chains in biosimilars, monoclonal antibodies, advanced biologics, drug
conjugates and AI-driven biologic innovation:
• Biosimilars are projected to grow at 17% CAGR with nearly 10x ROI, contrasting
sharply with stagnating generics markets growing at just 2%.
• By 2035, 40% of all global medicines are expected to be biologics and $300
billion worth of blockbuster biopharmaceuticals will go off-patent by 2030
creating a historic window for India to enter global value chains.
• Even a 1 % share in the global biosimilar market (estimated between $73 billion
& $76 billion) by 2030 could generate roughly ₹6400 crore annually by 2030.
Similarly, increasing India’s presence in the global patented biologics market
presents a significant opportunity for additional high-value revenues, innovation
and exports.
BioPharmaNext should build on the ₹10,000 crore Biopharma SHAKTI outlay and the
network of 3 new National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research to
drive this commercial ambition with institutional depth.
(ii) Build AI-Enabled Discovery and Development Platforms: BioPharmaNext must
integrate transformative digital technologies to transition Indian pharma from a
generics model to an innovation-led one. BioAI for closed experimental models
designing novel biomolecules, enzymes and medicines.
• Deploy AI-driven drug discovery, large-scale genomics, BioDigital Twins and
automated Design-Build-Test-Learn (DBTL) engines capable of reducing
drug development timelines by 60–80%, lowering R&D costs by 20–30%
and improving clinical trial success rates.

18Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
• Leverage India’s genetically diverse population as a strategic asset for AI-
powered trial design and drug repurposing at scale.
• Establish platform-based discovery engines that can design, optimize and
repurpose biologics rapidly. Global case studies show AI-designed drugs
reaching Phase 1 in under 30 months, India must match this cadence.
• Complement AI-driven discovery with automated robotics for high-
throughput protein engineering, biosensor-driven quality control systems
and national bio-compute infrastructure.
By 2035, these platforms should enable India to originate, not merely replicate, next-
generation biologics.
(iii) Remove Structural Bottlenecks: To unlock the full potential of BioPharmaNext,
systemic barriers must be addressed decisively. Key bottlenecks that require urgent
resolution include:
• Regulatory timelines that currently average 900 days, compared to 500 days
in peer countries, a gap that directly impairs India’s global competitiveness.
• Fragmented multi-agency approval processes that increase uncertainty and
delay for innovators and manufacturers alike.
• Limited clinical trial capacity exacerbated despite India’s scale advantage
requiring urgent infrastructure and institutional investment. The Biopharma
SHAKTI initiative to create a network of over 1,000 accredited India Clinical
Trials sites provides a vital foundation.
• Underdeveloped High-Performance Computing (HPC) infrastructure, which
constrains AI-enabled discovery and in-silico trial capabilities.
• Persistent shortages in advanced biopharma talent, including computational
biologists, regulatory scientists and advanced manufacturing specialists.
(iv) Establish National Infrastructure and Fast-Track Pathways: The following mission
components are essential to realising BioPharmaNext’s 2035 ambitions:
• Exclusive Regulatory Sandbox - Create a dedicated, time-bound regulatory
pathway for:
◦Biosimilars and novel biologics
◦Cell/gene-adjacent biologics and CRISPR therapeutics
◦Synthetic biology products and AI-designed drugs
This sandbox should operate with pre-set approval timelines, expert multi-agency panels
and transparent milestone reviews to reduce uncertainty while maintaining rigour.
• Five Integrated Bioinnovation Clusters - Establish a minimum of five
Bioinnovation clusters anchored around public research institutions in PPP
mode building on the Regional Medical Hubs model proposed in Budget
2026–27 with:
◦Integrated bioprocessing and clinical-grade manufacturing
◦GLP/GMP facilities accessible to SMEs and startups
◦Startup scale-up infrastructure and shared services
• High Performance Computing Capability Centres - Establish HPC Capability
Centres under the National Supercomputing Mission, comparable to EU and
Chinese capabilities, for:
◦AI-enabled drug discovery and molecular simulation
◦In-silico clinical trials and biomarker modelling
◦National Bioinformatics Data Infrastructure

19Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
• BioTalent Strategic Network - Build a national talent pipeline through:
◦India-wide training programmes in computational biopharma
◦Expanded grants for AI-enabled drug discovery research
◦Enhanced re-entry fellowships for Indian diaspora scientists
◦ Integration with the 100,000 Allied Health Professionals pipeline
announced under Biopharma SHAKTI
• Market Access Reforms - Introduce a Made-in-India Innovation Track that
includes:
◦180-day listing pathway for domestic biologics
◦IPO flexibility for pre-revenue biopharma firms
◦Government procurement preferences for Indian-manufactured biologics
By 2035, BioPharmaNext should deliver the following outcomes:
BioPharmaNext GeneIndia (Complementary Mission)
Monoclonal antibodies
Next-gen biosimilars
Long-acting biologics
AI-designed therapeutics
Global biosimilar supply
Gene therapies
Cell therapies
CRISPR / curative platforms
Rare disease therapies
Frontier R&D
Together, BioPharmaNext and GeneIndia will deliver India’s twin biopharmaceutical vision: a trusted
global supplier of affordable biologics for mainstream markets and a frontier innovator in curative
therapies advancing both Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047.
4.2 Set up Empowered Committees on National BioMissions
Biotech presently does not have empowered committees and it is critical to establish such
committees to ensure National BioMissions are successfully implemented. These high-level
committees to be established will have cross-ministerial representations to ensure mission
governance, align public-private investments, augmented with efficient regulatory system
changes in real time.
4.2.1 Empowered Committee on National BioMissions:
This committee will coordinate inter-ministerial strategies, set national priorities and
align budgets for the effective execution of BioMissions.
It will act as a single-point decision-making body to reduce fragmentation across
ministries and ensure faster approvals and implementation. The committee should also
establish clear performance metrics and review mechanisms to track mission outcomes.
In addition, it can facilitate course corrections and policy alignment based on evolving
technological and market dynamics.
4.2.2 National BioData Council:
This council will govern the digital infrastructure, facilitate secure data sharing and
create standards for data interoperability to support AI-driven biotech innovation. This
council should also anchor India’s National Computational Biology Grid, integrating high-
performance GPUs, multi-omics data engines and digital repositories essential for CGTs,
genomics and synthetic biology.

20Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
It will play a critical role in ensuring data sovereignty, privacy, and ethical use of
biological data while enabling innovation. The council can also promote public-private
data partnerships to unlock high-value datasets for research and commercialization.
Further, it should enable real-time analytics and decision support systems for healthcare,
agriculture, and environmental applications.
4.2.3 BioEconomy Investment & Policy Forum:
This forum will bridge government, industry, VCs and research institutions to align
investments with national BioEconomy goals, de-risk early-stage biotech investments,
promote PPPs and support scale-up efforts.
It can serve as a strategic platform for mobilizing domestic and global capital, including
sovereign funds and impact investors. The forum should also identify priority sectors and
investment gaps, guiding targeted funding interventions. Additionally, it can facilitate
policy dialogue and regulatory clarity to improve ease of doing business in biotechnology.
4.2.4 BioIP & Innovation Evaluation Agency:
This agency will assess the value of IP, support startups in patenting and licensing and
conduct due diligence for commercialization.
It will help build standardized frameworks for IP valuation, enabling better access to
funding and partnerships. The agency can also provide handholding support to startups
and research institutions in navigating global IP regimes. Further, it can strengthen
India’s position by promoting technology transfer, licensing strategies, and global IP
competitiveness.
4.3 Establish a ₹50,000 Crore ($5.8 Billion) BioEconomy Growth Fund (2026–2035)
4.3.1 Catalyse Scale-up Financing for Biotechnology: India today very much requires biotech
investment support, especially with startups who have established Proof of Concept and
have challenges related to funding for scale-up and commercialisation. This dedicated
fund, apart from BioE3 policy including those under ANRF, can ensure long-term scale-
up for promising entrepreneurs, offering viability gap financing, equity-risk instruments
and milestone-based grants. This is specially for mid-to-late-stage ventures and
BioManufacturing infrastructure. This will ensure our ambition to make India as a global
innovation and manufacturing hub will be achieved.
4.3.2 Introduce a Production-Linked Incentive for Biomanufacturing: India’s ProductionLinked
Incentive (PLI) framework has already demonstrated its effectiveness in scaling complex
manufacturing in closely adjacent biosectors, notably pharmaceuticals, bulk drugs and
medical devices, where it has driven significant investment, reduced import dependence
and expanded exportoriented capacity. Building on this experience, a dedicated PLI
for biomanufacturing covering areas such as fermentationbased products, advanced
biologics, biosimilars, enzymes and biobased intermediates would support scaleup,
cost competitiveness and domestic value creation. Anchored in output-linked incentives
and aligned with existing pharma and medicaldevice PLIs, such an intervention would
help translate India’s scientific strengths into globally competitive manufacturing while
strengthening supplychain resilience and strategic autonomy.
4.3.3 Anchor Biotechnology Financing within the RDI Scheme:
(i) The newly launched ₹1 lakh crore RDI Scheme - designed to catalyse private-sector
R&D through long-term, low-interest financing and Deep-Tech Fund-of-Funds -
provides a powerful national framework into which a dedicated BioEconomy Growth
Fund can be embedded. Since biotechnology, biomanufacturing, synthetic biology,
pharma and medical devices are among the priority sunrise sectors explicitly
identified by the RDI Scheme, integrating a sector-focused Special Purpose Fund

21Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
(SPF) aligns fully with the Scheme’s mandate of accelerating innovation, reducing
import dependence and strengthening India’s strategic capabilities.
(ii) It is therefore proposed that the Government establish a ₹50,000 Crore ($5.8
Billion) BioEconomy Growth Fund (2026–2035) as a Special Purpose Fund under
ANRF/RDI, dedicated to catapulting India’s bioeconomy. The RDI Scheme already
envisions unsecured long-term financing, refinancing, equity-risk instruments
and contributions to Deep-Tech Funds-of-Funds for private sector R&D and
commercialization. The proposed BioEconomy Growth Fund would operationalize
this vision specifically for the biotechnology ecosystem, enabling India to convert its
research strengths into globally competitive biomanufacturing, affordable biologics,
bio-based materials, health technologies and synthetic biology products.
(iii) The fund would focus on mid- and late-stage biotech ventures, which the RDI
Scheme identifies as the most financially constrained - particularly those requiring
scale-up infrastructure, GMP manufacturing, biofoundries, regulatory readiness and
commercial. Support mechanisms could include viability gap financing, blended
finance, milestone-based grants, catalytic equity and infrastructure financing to
accelerate projects across biomanufacturing, advanced therapeutics, precision
fermentation, biomaterials, diagnostics, medtech and synthetic biology-areas
highlighted as national priorities. This directly complements the BioE3 Policy’s vision
of biomanufacturing and biofoundry networks and fills the gap between prototype
development and commercial-scale production.
(iv) A BioEconomy SPF would also strengthen India’s transition from a generics-driven
industry to a high-value innovation ecosystem, addressing vulnerabilities exposed
during COVID-19 and aligning with India’s strategic priorities across health security,
climate action, sustainable industries and Atmanirbhar Bharat.
By establishing a long-term, predictable funding mechanism for biotechnology-led innovation
and manufacturing, India can translate its scientific capabilities into global market leadership,
enabling the creation of new industries, exports and high-value jobs. A ₹50,000 crore
BioEconomy Growth Fund within the RDI Scheme would therefore be a strategic and timely
intervention to realize India’s ambition of becoming a $691+ billion bioeconomy and a global
biomanufacturing hub by 2035.
4.4 Reform the Biotech Regulatory Landscape with Differentiated Pathways
India’s biotechnology sector cannot sustain its next phase of growth without urgent and
structural regulatory reforms. The current framework, characterized by fragmentation, multi-
agency overlaps, and prolonged approval timelines, is increasingly misaligned with the pace
of innovation in areas such as biologics, synthetic biology, and AI-driven solutions. There is an
immediate need to establish differentiated, time-bound, and risk-based regulatory pathways
that enable faster translation from lab to market. A bold, coordinated reform agenda is
essential to unlock innovation, attract global investments, and position India as a competitive
biotechnology powerhouse.
4.4.1 Establish a Regulatory Sandbox - immediately while the overall reforms are taken up.
This Sandbox will serve as a test-bed for near-to-market innovative solutions to have
faster approval.
4.4.2 Revitalize India’s biotech regulatory framework - (CDSCO, RCGM, GEAC, FSSAI, NBA)
to overcome delays and bureaucratic hurdles (involvement of multiple departments in
the approval process which needs to be fine-tuned) in the current regulatory system,
including persistent bottlenecks (related to environmental clearances at the state level
and layers of communication).

22Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
(i) Establish new regulatory frameworks led by AI-designed for biologics, automated
robotic biomanufacturing, biosensor-based diagnostics and machine led
computation of evidence used in clinical submissions.
(ii) Establish a dedicated Regulatory Reform Task Force with Industry Associations,
Academia, Government agencies and experts.
• To streamline pharmaceutical and biotechnology regulations with clear, time-
bound pathways for advanced therapies, novel biologics, biosimilars, CRISPR-
based therapeutics synthetic biology and microbiome products.
• Time-bound approval pathways for emerging modalities to boost investor
confidence and accelerate commercialization of innovations.
4.4.3 Modernize and upgrade CDSCO - by adopting global best practices beyond digitization.
This includes integrating benefit–risk monitoring across the drug lifecycle, leveraging
real‑world evidence and decentralized trial models, adopting non‑animal testing
methodologies (NAMs), strengthening GMP compliance with advanced data integrity
frameworks, and aligning with ICH/PIC/S standards. These measures based on best
practices in CDSCO operations for delivering timely approvals will not only build investor
confidence and promote global competitiveness but will also enable taking regulatory
decisions that continue to serve the best interests of public health in India and to be at
par with global bodies such as FDA, EMA, and PMDA.
4.4.4 Patent Law Updates for Biotech - this includes bringing greater clarity on Section 3
exclusions for biotech inventions (specifically imported microbes and GM microbes
in the agriculture segment), establishing a National Bio-IP Repository and tokenizing
innovations for market-linked valuation (IP-backed financing).
4.5 Creating Bioscience leaders through strengthening public institutions network in Biotech
4.5.1 India’s biotech sector employs over 3.3 million professionals and nearly 12,000 startups.
Yet with only ~259 researchers per million people and just 25.6% of higher education
enrolment in STEM (450,000 students and researchers are pursuing biotech studies), the
talent pipeline remains thin. To stay competitive, India must strengthen undergraduate
biotech programs, increase number of biotech specific merit scholarships & fellowships
matching to international standards, and build frontier skills in bioinformatics, AI‑driven
biotech, and advanced biomanufacturing.
4.5.2 Strengthening of research training programs like PhDs and Post-doc would build a robust
indigenous talent pool for the ambitious target set for the Bioeconomy.
4.5.3 Experiential learning–immersion training for Master’s and PhD students coalescing
technical and hands-on experimental learning with real-world experiences/grass root
engagement fostering personal growth and deepening critical-thinking, problem-solving
and collaborations.
4.5.4 Enhancing fellowships for research training, facilitating Post-doc entrepreneurship
programs must be facilitated for nurturing our youth and enable them to contribute to
Viksit Bharat goals through Biotechnology R&D contributing to green growth and shared
prosperity.
4.5.5 Strengthen biotech talent through industry-aligned, multidisciplinary training in biology,
AI, bioinformatics, regulatory sciences, and biomanufacturing.
4.5.6 Strengthen the biotech entrepreneurship ecosystem by enhancing incubation, mentorship,
funding access, commercialization support, and industry partnerships.

23Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
5. THE COST OF INACTION
Any delay or hesitation in acting on the key recommendations, carries a clear cost of inaction. It would slow
India’s progress in consolidating its bioeconomy capabilities at a time when global competitors are moving
decisively to scale innovation and manufacturing. Such delays risk erosion of first‑mover advantages and
continued dependence on external supply chains. Inaction will also lead to loss of investment, talent and
market opportunities, to other countries that are advancing more rapidly in this space.
Given that biotechnology is a high-tech, innovation-driven domain with long gestation periods for
R&D, commercialization and regulatory approvals, lost ground will be difficult to regain.
With timely policy action, adequate funding and strategic support, India is well-positioned to deliver
high-quality, globally competitive bioproducts, at cost-effective scales — particularly suited for
emerging and developing markets.
It is therefore, imperative to act now to sustain momentum and secure India’s leadership in the global
BioEconomy.
What Is at Stake?
Failure to move decisively would impose costs across six national dimensions:
i. Missed Economic Opportunity: Failure to capitalise on the fastest-growing deep-tech
industrial domain (10-12% global CAGR).
ii. Concern on National Security: Increased reliance on other nations for critical biological
solutions (e.g., vaccines, therapeutics, food, biodefense).
iii. Challenges in reaching the Viksit Bharat Goals: A significant impediment to achieving the
$30 trillion economy target and associated job creation.
iv. Loss of Global Leadership: India forfeiting its potential to lead in an era defined by biological
mastery.
v. Environmental Setbacks: Slower adoption of green industrial transformation (specifically
to BioIndustrial segment) and climate-resilient solutions (specifically to BioAgriculture
segment).
vi. Loss of employment generation: The biotech segments long-term growth projections
have opportunity to create 30-35 million jobs.
India now stands at the threshold of shaping the biological century, with an opportunity that goes far
beyond economic expansion. By executing this roadmap with ambition and urgency, India can build
a new paradigm of development where biology powers industry, sustainability, and human well-being
at scale. The gains are transformative: a multi-trillion-dollar bioeconomy, millions of high-quality jobs,
resilient health and food systems and leadership in climate-positive technologies. India can evolve
from being the “pharmacy of the world” to the “Innovation Engine of the World”, delivering not just
affordable solutions, but frontier breakthroughs that redefine global benchmarks. This is a moment
to convert scientific capability into civilizational impact where India shapes markets, standards, and
solutions for itself and the world.
What makes this vision achievable is India’s rare convergence of science, scale, and demographic
purpose. Few nations possess the combination of deep public research institutions, globally
competitive manufacturing, digital public infrastructure, biodiversity wealth and a vibrant startup
ecosystem. India has already demonstrated its ability to deliver at scale under pressure from vaccines
to digital platforms and now could extend that capability into the frontier domains of biotechnology.
With BioE3 as the strategic compass and mission-mode execution as the engine, India can leapfrog
traditional pathways and define a uniquely inclusive and sustainable model of bioeconomic growth.
The next 10 years is not just about catching up; it is about leading with conviction and clarity to
emerge as the world’s BioCapital.
The biological century will be shaped by those who act now and fast. India has the capability and this
is the moment to lead.

24Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
Annexures
Glossary of Key & Technical Terms
This annex provides definitions of technical and policy-relevant terms appearing in the BioEconomy
Roadmap. The glossary is organised alphabetically and written in plain language for easy understanding.
Terms Definition (Plain Language)
ADME/Tox
Framework to evaluate how a drug is absorbed, metabolised and
tested for toxicity.
AgriBio 2.0
Proposed mission focused on climate‑resilient agriculture and
bioinputs.
AI–Bioinformatics PlatformsAI systems that analyze biological and genomic data.
Alternative Proteins
Non‑animal protein sources such as plant, microbial and cultivated
protein.
Bio+X Convergence
Blending biotechnology with digital, quantum and materials
technologies.
BioAI
Using artificial intelligence to accelerate biological discovery and
health innovation.
BioDigital Twins
Digital models that simulate biological systems for prediction and
testing.
BioEconomy Growth Fund Proposed national vehicle for financing bioeconomy ventures.
BioE3 Policy
Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment policy
document brought out by Department of Biotechnology, Government
of India for fostering High-Performance Biomanufacturing.
BioFoundry Automated lab enabling rapid biological engineering cycles.
Biofuel and Bioenergy
Mission
Focuses on transforming agricultural and industrial waste into
clean, renewable energy.
BioIndustrial Use of biotechnology in materials, chemicals and manufacturing.
BioPharmaNext
Proposed mission focused on advanced biologics and
next‑generation therapies.
BioRegulatory Authority Proposed centralized biosciences regulatory framework.
Biotech-KISAN
Krishi Innovation Science Application Network connects agricultural
scientists with small, marginal, and women farmers.
BioTranslation Grid Ecosystem designed to move research towards commercialization.
CAPA Corrective and Preventive Action framework for quality assurance.
Cell & Gene Therapies Treatments that modify cells or genes to address disease.
Continuous Bioprocessing Ongoing automated production of biologics.
CRDMO Contract organizations supporting R&D and manufacturing.
CRISPR Precision genome editing tool.
DBTL Design‑Build‑ Test‑Learn engineering approach.

25Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
Terms Definition (Plain Language)
Decentralised Clinical Trials
Clinical studies conducted partially outside hospitals using digital
tools.
Digital Batch Records Electronic tracking of manufacturing processes.
Engineered Living MaterialsMaterials embedded with biological functions.
Empowered Committee on
BioMissions
National governance mechanism proposed for mission execution.
Federated Real‑ World
Evidence
Use of distributed clinical data for research without central storage.
GeneIndia Proposed mission to expand gene therapy access.
GMP Good Manufacturing Practice standards.
HPC Capability Centres High‑performance computing hubs for biotech research.
HPAPI Highly potent pharmaceutical ingredients.
In‑Silico Trials Computer‑simulated testing replacing parts of clinical trials.
Input–Output Modelling Economic analysis technique for bioeconomy valuation.
LNP Lipid nanoparticles used to deliver genetic material.
Marine & Blue BiotechnologyBiotech-based on marine organisms and resources.
Master Protocols Unified frameworks testing multiple drugs in one trial.
MIDH
Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) promotes
holistic growth of the horticulture sector. It provides technical and
financial assistance for the production of quality planting materials,
area expansion, post-harvest management, and skill development.
National BioData
Infrastructure
Framework for secure biological data sharing.
National Blue Economy
Policy
Aims to use ocean and coastal resources to grow the economy ” in
the Glossary of Key & Technical Terms Section.
NFSM
National Food Security & Nutrition Mission aims to boost food grain
production through area expansion and higher productivity while
restoring soil fertility.
NMSA
The National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) promotes
climate-resilient farming by optimizing water use efficiency,
enhancing soil health, and supporting diversified integrated farming
systems.
Neuro‑Symbolic AI Hybrid AI combining learning with logical rules.
One Health Grid
Integrated surveillance across human, animal and environmental
health.
Planetary Bioengineering Large‑scale use of biotech for environmental restoration.
Precision Fermentation Production of targeted molecules via engineered microbes.
PMKVY
Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) has provided farmers
with an organised platform to adopt eco-friendly practices, access
organic certification, and link with markets that reward sustainable
production.

26Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
Terms Definition (Plain Language)
PPP Public–Private Partnership.
QSP Quantitative Systems Pharmacology modelling.
Quantum Biology Study of quantum effects in living systems.
Real‑World Evidence
Engines
Systems capturing real‑life health outcomes.
Regulatory Sandbox Controlled testing environment for innovations.
Synthetic Biology Engineering of biological systems.
Smart Quality Systems AI‑enabled quality monitoring.
Triangulation Model Three‑part method to estimate bioeconomy value.
Translational InfrastructureFacilities moving research to market.
Viability Gap Funding Government support to make critical projects feasible.

27Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
List of Abbreviations
Abbreviation Meaning
AAV Adeno‑ Associated Virus
AMR Antimicrobial Resistance
ANRF Anusandhan National Research Foundation
API Application Programming Interface
BIRAC Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council
CAGR Compound Annual Growth Rate
CAPA Corrective and Preventive Action
Cap Ex. Capital Expenditure
CDMO Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization
CDSCO Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation
CGT Cell and Gene Therapy
CMFRI Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute
CoE Centre of Excellence
CRO Contract Research Organization
CRDMO Contract Research, Development and Manufacturing Organisation
CRISPR Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats
CSIR Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
DBT Department of Biotechnology
DBTL Design–Build–Test–Learn
DOP Department of Pharmaceuticals
EMA European Medicines Agency
EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization
FDA Food and Drug Administration
FSSAI Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
GLP Good Laboratory Practice
GM Genetically Modified
GMP Good Manufacturing Practice
GPU Graphics Processing Unit
ICAR Indian Council of Agricultural Research
ICMR Indian Council of Medical Research
IHIP Integrated Health Information Platform

28Roadmap for Building India as a Leading BioEconomy Powerhouse by 2035
Abbreviation Meaning
IND Investigational New Drug
IP Intellectual Property
LNP Lipid Nanoparticle
MoA&FW Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
MoEFCC Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
MoES Ministry of Earth Sciences
MoHFW Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
NBA National Biodiversity Authority
NBDS National Biotechnology Development Strategy
NCDC National Centre for Disease Control
NHA National Health Authority
NOHM National One Health Mission
NPRD National Policy for Rare Diseases
OECD Organization for Economic Co‑operation and Development
PLI Production Linked Incentive
PMDA Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency
PMMSY Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana
PPP Public–Private Partnership
QSP Quantitative Systems Pharmacology
RCGM Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation
RDI Research, Development & Innovation Scheme
SPF Specific-Pathogen-Free
SWOT Strengths and Weaknesses, alongside external Opportunities and Threats
UMMID Unique Methods of Management and treatment of Inherited Disorders
VC Venture Capital

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