India launches BioE3 challenge, Nat’l Biofoundry Network

New Delhi: Marking one year of the BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) Policy, the Union Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, launched the BioE3 Challenge for Youth and the creation of the country’s first National Biofoundry Network.

“India’s bioeconomy has grown from just $10 billion in 2014 to $165.7 billion in 2024, and we are now working towards a target of $300 billion by 2030,” Dr. Singh said. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT)has established new institutions, initiated joint research programmes, and formed national and international partnerships in a short span of time, he said.

The Minister highlighted the inauguration of India’s first Biomanufacturing Institute at Mohali, the establishment of Bio-Artificial Intelligence hubs and biofoundries, and the launch of research calls in frontier areas, ranging from cell and gene therapy to climate-smart agriculture and carbon capture. Over 2,000 proposals have already been received in these categories. A notable step has been the MoU between DBT and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for cooperation in space biotechnology, which saw three DBT-backed experiments conducted on the International Space Station earlier this year. At the State level, DBT has begun partnering with governments, such as Assam, to establish BioE3 Cells. Meanwhile, Indian missions in 52 countries are contributing to the policy’s global outreach.