Niti Aayog Unveils Strategic Roadmap to Transform Agriculture
Niti Aayog has proposed a comprehensive overhaul of India’s biotechnology strategy, advocating for the replacement of fragmented programs with six mission-driven national initiatives. This recommendation is part of its newly released bioeconomy roadmap, which aims to build a $691 billion bioeconomy by 2035. The roadmap emphasizes the need for a mission-based framework to enhance capabilities in healthcare, agriculture, industrial biotechnology, and disease surveillance, ensuring that research leads to globally competitive products and large-scale manufacturing.
Key Initiatives Proposed
The roadmap outlines several key initiatives designed to bolster India’s biotechnology sector. GeneIndia will focus on expanding access to affordable gene and cell therapies and precision diagnostics. AgriBio 2.0 aims to develop climate-resilient crop varieties and quality-assured bio-inputs. BioX Foundry is set to facilitate the transition of synthetic biology innovations from the laboratory to the market.
Additionally, the roadmap recommends launching One Health Grid to enhance 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.
Implementation Framework
To implement these initiatives, the roadmap proposes the establishment of an Empowered Committee on National BioMissions, a National BioData Council, and a BioEconomy Investment and Policy Forum. It also suggests a fast-track system for intellectual property approvals. These measures aim to improve coordination, enhance biotechnology data management, and expedite the market entry of new biotech innovations.
Furthermore, the roadmap recommends creating a Rs 50,000-crore BioEconomy Growth Fund for 2026-2035 to bridge the gap between laboratory research and commercial-scale manufacturing. It calls for PLI-style incentives, quicker regulatory approvals, and stronger intellectual property protection to support domestic production, reduce import dependence, anchor global supply chains in India, and boost export-oriented biomanufacturing.
The bioeconomy has expanded 16-fold over the past decade, reaching $195.3 billion and contributing 4.8% to India’s GDP. The sector is projected to grow to $691 billion by 2035, generating over 30 million high-value jobs and fostering 15 globally competitive biotechnology companies.
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