National Biotechnology Development Strategy 2015-2020

The National Biotechnology Development Strategy 2015-2020 was unveiled by the Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences on 30th December 2015. It intends to launch a major mission, backed with significant investments, for the creation of new biotech products, create a strong infrastructure for R&D and commercialization, and empower India’s human resources scientifically and technologically. The Strategy aims to establish India as a world-class bio-manufacturing hub.

The envisaged mission is:
  • Provide impetus to utilising the knowledge and tools to the advantage of Humanity
  • Launch a major well directed mission backed with significant investment for generation of new Biotech Products
  • Empower scientifically and technologically India’s incomparable Human Resource
  • Create a strong Infrastructure for R&D and Commercialisation
  • Establish India as a world class Bio-manufacturing Hub
The Key elements of the Strategy are:
  • Building a Skilled Workforce and Leadership
  • Revitalizing the knowledge environment at par with the growing bio-economy
  • Enhancing Research opportunities in basic, disciplinary and inter-disciplinary sciences
  • Encouraging use-inspired discovery research
  • Focusing on biotechnology tools for inclusive development
  • Nurturing innovation, translational capacity and entrepreneurship
  • Ensuring a transparent, efficient and globally best Regulatory system and communication strategy
  • Biotechnology cooperation- Fostering global and national alliances
  • Strengthen Institutional Capacity with redesigned governance models
  • Create a matrix of measurement of processes as well as outcome

The key elements would be implemented in collaboration and partnership with Other Ministries, Departments, State Governments and international agencies towards achieving:

  • Making India ready to meet the challenge of achieving US$100bn by 2025
  • Launching Four Major Missions – Healthcare, Food and Nutrition, Clean Energy and Education
  • Creating a Technology Development and Translation network across the country with global partnership-5 new clusters, 40 Biotech incubators, 150 TTOs, 20 Bio-connect centres
  • Strategic and focussed investment in building the Human Capital by creating a Life Sciences and Biotechnology Education Council.

Its major component will be training of work force and this includes dual degree programmes which will cover both the aspect of core science and business applicability. It will also focus on enhancing research opportunities in basic, disciplinary and inter-disciplinary sciences and also foster global and national alliances. The research will be intensified in the field of vaccines, humane genome, infectious and chronic diseases, crop science, animal agriculture and aqua culture, food and nutrition, environmental management and technologies for clean energy. The mission is also backed with significant investments to boost creation of new biotech products, creating a strong infrastructure for research and development, commercialization, and empowering human resources scientifically and technologically.

A major component of the programme will be training of work force and this includes dual degree programmes which will cover both the aspect of core science and business applicability. It will also focus on enhancing research opportunities in basic, disciplinary and inter-disciplinary sciences, foster global and national alliances.


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