NEW DELHI: Speaking today at the third Foundation Day of the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC), held at the BRIC–National Institute of Immunology (NII), Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, the Department of Atomic Energy and the Department of Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said that India has potential to lead next biotechnology-driven industrial revolution and called for deeper integration across scientific institutions and greater participation by industry in India’s biotechnology ecosystem.
Dr.Jitendra Singh said the Government had encouraged greater integration among science institutions to overcome silos and improve coordination. The Minister described BRIC as a “joint family” in which institutions pool resources while retaining their identities, independence and autonomy. The arrangement, he said, had reduced procedural delays associated with multiple directorates and approvals while creating opportunities for scientific collaboration. The Minister added that other departments and ministries had replicated the model.
Referring to the sector’s growth, Dr.Jitendra Singh said India’s bioeconomy had expanded from about USD 10 billion when the Government took office to more than USD 195 billion. He said the country’s biotechnology startup ecosystem had grown from around 50–60 startups to more than 11,000, with several showing global potential. The Minister also highlighted efforts to strengthen high-performance manufacturing through biomanufacturing hubs, biofoundries and AI-integrated biomanufacturing.
Dr.Jitendra Singh cited biofoundry hubs in Mohali, Hyderabad, Pune and Thiruvananthapuram, and said international partnerships, including the collaboration with the UK’s Centre for Process Innovation, would support further progress.
The Minister said the Genomics Centre of Excellence had attracted interest from medical institutions, including AIIMS. Dr. Singhsaid that genomics could support the shift towards precision medicine, with institutions beginning to adopt the approach and collaborate. Dr Singh also spoke about the i3C PhD programme, which enables scholars to immerse themselves in research, innovate and collaborate, including through placements in the health and agriculture sectors. He said nearly 200 students had benefited from the programme.
Dr. Singh said the Prime Minister’s Independence Day appeal to young people to explore new opportunities in biotechnology had generated enthusiasm across the sector. He also referred to outreach programmes for school students and the public, and recalled proposing a dedicated mentorship programme to encourage girls to pursue science.
Further, Dr.Jitendra Singh said the Government was opening more avenues for private-sector participation in science and research, drawing on experience from reforms in the nuclear sector. He referred to the Research, Development and Innovation Fund, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation and BIRAC as parts of the wider research and innovation landscape. He said India should be at the centre of the next industrial revolution, which he described as likely to be driven by biotechnology, artificial intelligence and genomics. Unlike earlier industrial revolutions that emerged elsewhere before India adopted their technologies, he said, the country’s biotechnology community had the opportunity to be at the forefront of the next one.
During the event, the Wellcome Trust announced a grant of up to ₹21.7 crore for a five-year immersion training programme for more than 250 iBRIC+ PhD scholars. A Letter of Intent was also signed between BRIC and the UK’s Centre for Process Innovation to strengthen India–UK collaboration in biomanufacturing and support the development of biofoundries.
Winners of the Festival of Sports were felicitated at the event. The iBRIC+ Spotlight Scientist of the Year–2026 awards were presented to Dr Sunil Laxman of BRIC-inStem, Dr Rashna Bhandari of BRIC-CDFD, and Prof.Bhabatosh Das, Professor at BRIC-THSTI
Dr Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, and Director General, BRIC, emphasized that BRIC’s core vision is to move beyond isolated institutional excellence by unifying India’s 13 premier biotechnology institutions across 11 cities into a decentralised national network. Anchored in the pillars of people, culture, trust and resource allocation, and supported by a lean Secretariat and translational initiatives such as the i3C PhD curriculum and BRIC–BIRAC entrepreneurship programmes, the Council aims to connect laboratory innovation with market applications, advance sovereign technologies, strengthen food and health security, and establish India as a global biotechnology leader with lasting economic and societal impact
The event was also attended by Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Dr MadhuriKanitkar, Member, Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC), and former Vice-Chancellor of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences; Ms EktaVishnoi (IRS), Joint Secretary (Administration), Department of Biotechnology; and Dr Pushkar Sharma, Director, BRIC-NII.
