India Accelerates Biotechnology Leadership with BRIC Milestones and EIR Launch

“The age of silos is over. We have moved towards synergized working across biotechnology, medical research, agriculture, and data-driven science,” Dr. Singh said.

In a resounding affirmation of India's ascent in the global bioeconomy, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh declared that the country is now firmly positioned in the heart of the next industrial revolution—powered by biotechnology. He was delivering the keynote address at the Second Foundation Day of the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC) held at the BRIC–National Institute of Immunology (NII) in New Delhi. The occasion also marked the inauguration of the NHP-ABSL-3 Facility, a major addition to India’s advanced biosafety infrastructure.

Dr Singh, who serves as the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, and also holds key roles in the Prime Minister’s Office, Department of Atomic Energy, and Department of Space, highlighted India's strategic advances under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership in making biotechnology a cornerstone of national growth and innovation.

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From Fragmentation to Synergy: BRIC’s Unified Power

The Minister hailed the formation of BRIC as a transformative reform that integrated 14 previously autonomous biotechnology institutions into a single umbrella body, thereby ending the siloed approach to research and policy implementation.

“The age of silos is over. We have moved towards synergized working across biotechnology, medical research, agriculture, and data-driven science,” Dr. Singh said.

This collaborative model has fostered cross-disciplinary research, accelerated innovation, and catalyzed partnerships with premier institutions such as IITs, medical colleges, and private industry.

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India’s BioE3 Policy and Global Standing

A key highlight of the Minister’s speech was the reference to India’s exclusive biotechnology policy, BioE3, which lays out a roadmap for a bio-enabled, bio-empowered, and bioeconomy-driven future.

“India will not be a follower in the global biotech revolution—we will be leaders,” he asserted, referring to the Fourth Industrial Revolution and its reliance on biotechnology for global progress.

India’s bioeconomy, which stood at just USD 10 billion, has now crossed USD 130 billion, with projections to touch USD 300 billion in the near future. This meteoric rise is largely driven by startups, translational research, and successful public–private partnership (PPP) models such as BRIC and BIRAC.

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Launch of the Entrepreneur-in-Residence Program

Adding further momentum to India’s startup ecosystem, Dr. Jitendra Singh launched the BRIC–BIRAC Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) Program, aimed at nurturing next-generation biotech entrepreneurs. The initiative will offer financial and technical support, mentoring, and incubation to promising innovators.

The program is expected to enhance the entrepreneurial landscape in biotech by channeling young scientific talent into innovation-led startups. Dr. Singh reiterated the government’s commitment to creating an enabling ecosystem for startup success through initiatives like Start-up India, BioNEST, and Bioincubators.

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Highlights of Indian Biotech Achievements

Dr. Singh highlighted India’s recent biotech milestones:

• Advanced biosafety facilities including the newly inaugurated NHP-ABSL-3 Lab

• Breakthroughs in gene therapies, including Hemophilia research

• Recognition of India’s vaccine leadership during the pandemic

• Growing global reputation as a provider rather than a recipient of healthcare solutions

He noted that DBT and BRIC institutions have been instrumental in these achievements and emphasized that the path to a Viksit Bharat (Developed India) will pass through the corridors of DBT.

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BRIC’s Research Footprint and Innovation Ecosystem

Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Director General, BRIC, presented an overview of BRIC’s impact in just three years:

• 3,190 scientific publications

• 107 patents filed

• 13 technologies commercialized

• Support to 2,578 PhD scholars and 678 post-doctoral fellows

He also announced the establishment of the BRIC Bio-Enterprise Innovation Park, a 200-acre campus in Faridabad, envisioned as a hub for innovation-led entrepreneurship and a national center of excellence.

Referring to the Design for BioE3 Challenge, Dr. Gokhale reported receiving 510 proposals, including 431 from BRIC institutions, underscoring strong youth engagement and national enthusiasm in the bio-innovation space.

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A Vision for the Future

The event was also attended by prominent leaders and academics including:

• Dr. Kalaivani Ganesan, Scientist-F, DBT & Nodal Officer, BRIC

• Dr. Anand Deshpande, Founder & MD, Persistent Systems, and Co-Chair, Governing Body, BRIC

• Prof. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, Vice-Chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University

• Dr. P. M. Murali, President, Council of Presidents of ABLE and Chairman, Jananom Pvt. Ltd.

Concluding the event, Dr. Jitendra Singh delivered an optimistic forecast for Indian biotechnology, stating:

“The best of DBT is yet to come—and so is the best of India.”

With BRIC at its core, India is poised to emerge not only as a biotech hub for Asia but as a global leader in innovative, sustainable, and inclusive bioeconomic development.