Despite being a comparatively smaller industry and an alien word to large chuck of Indian masses , the biotechnology still attracts praiseworthy words from policymakers and visionaries . Perhaps its direct connect with food and medicine makes the sector highly relevant to the human race especially when huge sea of challenges stand in way to future .
In this backdrop , the Indian Government ’ s Department of Biotechnology ( DBT ) has drafted a very ambitious strategy with the target to turn biotechnology into a US $ 100bn industry by 2025 . The strategy aims to establish India as a world-class bio-manufacturing hub . 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 .
Indigenous innovation but how ?
“ We sometimes have tendency to be self-critical to the extent of policy paralysis ,” says Prof VijayRaghavan , Secretary , DBT pointing towards the fact that biotech startup landscape has grown in the country over the previous five years . He elaborates , " The changing ecosystem has been driven by several elements such as public funding agencies , angel funding and VC funding . We are more focused on research and innovation than ever before and it is yielding results . Our job is to be present at every stage of the innovation ecosystem so that we are in a position to support innovators by helping take their idea and proof-of-concept to the market . Institutions such as BIRAC are committed to promoting affordable innovation in key social sectors in order to achieve the larger goal and mission of an innovation-driven Indian Biotech enterprise .”
According to Dr Sarvajna Dwivedi , Global TiESilicon Valley , the immunotherapy , cell therapies and gene editing are huge opportunity areas that need to be capitalized . He calls for adoption of Indian model . “ In our generation , in next 15-20 years , there will be huge unmet medical needs . There is a need to start a movement . The large extent of pharmacological work is on Western population . It might not work on the Indian population . Hence , we cannot afford Western model . “ Swadeshi patents , Swadeshi biopharma is what we need ,” he adds .
Policymakers say that over the last 5 years , a foundation has been laid for an innovation driven biotech enterprise in the country . “ The Government is keen on making India the pioneer of innovation . We have jumped 15 places in the Innovation Index and we are now on the way to continued growth in the innovation sphere ,” says Mr Y S Chowdary , Minister of State for Science and Technology , “ DBT ’ s National Biotech Development Strategy for 2015-2020 has defined the policy outline to achieve the next transition for the Indian biotechnology .”
THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THE INDIA ’ S NATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2015-20 :
• Build skilled workforce and leadership
• Revitalize the knowledge environment at par with the growing bio-economy
• Enhance research opportunities in basic , disciplinary and inter-disciplinary sciences
• Encourage use-inspired discovery research
• A focus on biotechnology tools for inclusive development
• Nurture innovation , translational capacity and entrepreneurship
• Ensure a transparent , efficient and globally best regulatory system and communications strategy
• Foster global and national alliances
• Strengthen institutional capacity with redesigned governance models
• Create a matrix of measurement of processes as well as outcomes
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