New Delhi, July 16: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh on Thursday announced the launch of India’s first undergraduate course in Engineering Biology and unveiled a roadmap to position the country as a global bioeconomy leader by 2035 through advances in biotechnology, artificial intelligence-driven biology and bio-manufacturing.
Announcing the initiative at the launch of the roadmap titled “Building India as a Leading Bioeconomy Powerhouse by 2035,” the minister said the new programme would help create a skilled workforce capable of supporting India’s long-term scientific, healthcare and economic objectives.
He said Engineering Biology would become a foundational discipline for the country’s next phase of biotechnology-led growth, adding that Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) had already begun submitting proposals for interdisciplinary programmes in collaboration with medical institutions.
Dr. Singh said the government was focused on building an independent biotechnology ecosystem through investments in talent development, innovation and industry partnerships. He noted that India’s bioeconomy had expanded from around USD 10 billion in 2014 to nearly USD 95 billion and was projected to reach about USD 300 billion by 2030. He added that the country is now home to more than 11,000 biotechnology start-ups.
Highlighting recent achievements, the minister said India had developed the world’s first DNA vaccine against COVID-19 and supplied vaccines to nearly 30 countries. He also referred to progress in CAR-T cell therapy and gene-based treatments, stating that indigenous innovation was making advanced healthcare technologies more affordable.
Emphasising the future role of synthetic biology, AI-enabled biological research and bio-manufacturing, Dr. Singh said these technologies would transform healthcare, agriculture, clean energy and sustainable food production. He called for stronger collaboration between researchers, industry and entrepreneurs to accelerate innovation and commercialisation.
Department of Biotechnology Secretary Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale said India is among the world’s fastest-growing bioeconomies, recording annual growth of 15 to 18 per cent. He said the country has established nearly 100 bio-incubators and more than 10,000 biotechnology companies, supported by policy initiatives including the BioE3 Policy.
NITI Aayog member Prof. Gobardhan Das said the roadmap envisions expanding India’s bioeconomy to nearly USD 700 billion by 2035 through stronger talent development, world-class bio-manufacturing infrastructure and a proposed ₹50,000 crore Bioeconomy Growth Fund.
Concluding the event, Dr. Jitendra Singh said sustained investments in research, emerging technologies and industry partnerships would strengthen India’s position in the global bioeconomy while generating high-skilled employment and supporting healthcare, food security and sustainable development. (PIB)
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