NITI Aayog proposes six National BioMissions, Rs 50,000-crore BioEconomy growth fund to drive India's bioeconomy by 2035
New Delhi, July 17
India should shift from fragmented biotechnology programmes to six mission-driven national initiatives covering healthcare, agriculture, industrial biotechnology and disease surveillance to achieve its goal of building a USD 691 billion bioeconomy by 2035, according to NITI Aayog's newly released bioeconomy roadmap.
The roadmap proposes six National BioMissions aimed at strengthening India's capabilities in advanced therapeutics, climate-resilient agriculture, synthetic biology, pandemic preparedness, marine biotechnology and next-generation biopharmaceuticals. It says a mission-mode approach will be essential to translate research into large-scale manufacturing and globally competitive products.
"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," the roadmap said.
The proposed missions include GeneIndia to expand access to affordable gene and cell therapies and precision diagnostics; AgriBio 2.0 to develop climate-resilient crop varieties and quality-assured bio-inputs; BioX Foundry to commercialise synthetic biology innovations; One Health Grid to strengthen AI-assisted disease surveillance; Marine Biotechnology to promote seaweed cultivation and marine bioproducts; and BioPharmaNext to position India as a global hub for next-generation biologics, biosimilars, vaccines and AI-driven drug discovery.
To support implementation, the roadmap recommends creating an Empowered Committee on National BioMissions, a National BioData Council, a BioEconomy Investment and Policy Forum, and a dedicated fast-track intellectual property pathway to improve coordination, strengthen data governance and accelerate commercialisation of biotechnology innovations.
The roadmap also proposes a Rs 50,000-crore BioEconomy Growth Fund for 2026-2035 to bridge the gap between laboratory research and commercial-scale manufacturing, along with PLI-style incentives, faster regulatory approvals and measures to strengthen intellectual property protection. It says these reforms are intended to reduce import dependence, anchor global supply chains in India and support export-oriented biomanufacturing.
According to the roadmap, India's bioeconomy has expanded 16-fold over the past decade to USD 195.3 billion, contributing 4.8 per cent to GDP. It projects the sector to reach USD 691 billion by 2035, generating more than 30 million high-value jobs and establishing 15 globally competitive biotechnology companies.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The focus on climate-resilient agriculture is spot on. Our farmers are bearing the brunt of unpredictable weather and pest attacks. Bio-inputs and climate-proof crops can really transform their lives. But 30 million jobs? That seems overly optimistic given the skilled workforce gap. We need more biotech courses in regional languages!
Interesting proposals from a foreign perspective. As someone in the pharma industry, the BioPharmaNext mission could genuinely challenge what China and Ireland are doing in biosimilars. But IP protection in India still scares many international investors. The fast-track pathway is welcome, but enforcement remains the real test.
Exciting times! But I hope this isn't another 'aitihasik' announcement that fades away. The One Health Grid for disease surveillance is particularly crucial post-COVID. Why not start with a pilot in high-disease-burden states like Bihar and UP? And please involve ICMR and state governments, not just create another NITI-centric committee. 🇮🇳
The marine biotech focus is refreshing. I've seen seaweed farming work wonders in coastal communities in the Philippines. For India's long coastline, this could be a sustainable livelihood for many fishing families, especially after cyclones and trawler restrictions. Hope it doesn't ignore the ecosystem impacts.
50,000 crore fund? Sounds great, but will it be implemented transparently? We've seen PLI schemes plagued by delayed disbursements. And the gene therapy mission must include ethical oversight, otherwise affordable treatment could lead to ethical shortcuts. Also, why
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