Biotechnology in India is a sunrise sector within theIndian economy.[1] Agencies of theGovernment of India concerned with thebiotechnology industry include theDepartment of Biotechnology and the proposedBiotechnology Regulatory Authority of India. As of 2022, the sector is valued at $80 billion.[2] Biotechnology in India is in a growth phase and the sector is expected to be valued at $150 billion by 2025 and surpass $300 billion in value by 2030.[2]
The first Indianbiotechnology company to be established wasBiocon, which was founded byKiran Mazumdar-Shaw in 1978.[3] The Indian biotechnology industry formally began in 1986 with the establishment of theDepartment of Biotechnology (DBT) by theMinistry of Science and Technology.[4] From 1999,St. Joseph’s College, Irinjalakuda, Kerala is offering a government-aided B.Sc. Biotechnology program. It is the only institution in Kerala offering an aided graduation program in biotechnology.[5] In 2024, the Indian government approved the₹9,197 crore (US$1.1 billion) Bio-RIDE scheme to focus on three areas of biotechnology in India:research and development, entrepreneurship and industrial development, andbiomanufacturing and biofoundries, with the goal of growing India'sbioeconomy to $300 billion by 2030.[6]
The Department of Biotechnology is anIndian government department under theMinistry of Science and Technology, responsible for administering development and commercialization in the field of modernbiology and biotechnology in India. The DBT was also one of the world's first government departments that was established to focus solely on the biotechnology sector.[4]
The Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) is a proposed regulatory body in India for uses of biotechnology products includinggenetically modified organisms (GMOs).[7] The institute was first suggested under the Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) draft bill prepared by theDepartment of Biotechnology in 2008. Since then, it has undergone several revisions.[8]
Several of the large Indian pharmaceutical companies also manufacturebiologics andbiosimilars. One of Biocon's subsidiaries, Biocon Biologics, manufacturesbiosimilars.[9][10]Intas Pharmaceuticals also manufactures biosimilars.[11]Dr. Reddy's Laboratories entered the biosimilars market in 2008.[12]Cipla entered the biosimilars market in 2010.[13]Aurobindo Pharma is focusing on developing biosimilars in various segments.[14] Enzene Biosciences is the biologics subsidiary ofAlkem Laboratories.[15][16]
Reliance Life Sciences, owned byMukesh Ambani, Asia's wealthiest man, manufactures biosimilars and other biopharmaceutical andpharmaceutical products.[17][18]
India is the world's largestvaccine maker as of 2020.[19] Indian vaccine manufactures include theSerum Institute of India (SII).[20] SII is the world's largest vaccine manufacturer.[21][22] Reliance Life Sciences, among other products, also manufactures vaccines.[23][24] Another established vaccine manufacturer isBharat Biotech.[25]Hester Biosciences is Asia’s largest company that manufacturesanimal and poultry vaccines.[26]
Syngene International, is a subsidiary of Biocon and is acontact development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) that, among other areas, offers CDMO services for biologics.[27][28] Laurus Bio is a subsidiary ofLaurus Labs and was originally an independent company named Richcore, before Laurus Labs acquired Richcore and renamed it.[29][30] Laurus Bio, among other products and services, also offers CDMO services formicrobialprecision fermentation.[31] In 2021, Cipla entered into ajoint venture with biopharmaceutical CDMO company Kemwell Biopharma, to develop, manufacture and commercialize biosimilars for global markets.[32]Concord Biotech, among other areas, offers contract research and manufacturing services for fermentation products.[33]
Concord Biotech manufactures, among other products, fermentation based complexactive pharmaceutical ingredients.[34][35]
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), one of the largestinformation technology companies in India, offersbioinformatics andbiostatistics services.[36][37]
There have been an increasing number ofstartups being founded in the Indian biotechnology industry. In 2021, the total number of biotechnology startups stood at 5365, whereas in 2010, there were only 50 startups in the sector.[2] As of 2021, more than half of the biotechnology startups are being founded in the medical sector, however, other large sectors where biotechnology startups are being founded include 18% in the biotechnology services sector and 14% of startups are in agricultural biotechnology.[4]
The DBT has set up biotechnologyparks in India, and as of 2022, there are 9 biotechnology parks across the country.[40] The parks have been set up by the DBT to give infrastructure support that will assist in making biotechnology research into products and services.[40] The biotechnology parks give scientists andsmall and medium-sized enterprises facilities that can help them in developing and demonstrating technologies, and assist in their pilot plant studies as well.
