• Indian Biotech Industry
• Advantage India
• Biotechnology in Gujarat
• Central Government Ministry
• State Government Ministry

Biotechnology is defined as a set of techniques for industrial exploitation of biological systems or processes. It encompasses any technique that uses living organisms to make or modify products, to improve plants or animals or to develop microorganisms for specific uses and involves applying molecular and cellular biology, plant, animal and human genetics and immunology in order to create new products. Conventional techniques of producing biotechnology products, using traditional microbiological fermentation, have evolved, with the development of modern technologies. Modern biotechnology entails use of cell fusion techniques, bio-informatics (use of information technology for documenting bio-diversity and study DNA structures), genetic engineering, structure based molecular design and recombinant DNA technology (insertion of foreign gene) and hybridoma technology (fusing and multiplying cells). Biotechnology has transformed many parts of the chemical industry, agriculture, and medicine.

After becoming an IT bellwether, India is now shifting its focus to the next promising industry, biotechnology. Numerous companies have sprung up to take a piece of the exponentially growing biotech market. The ever-decreasing physical boundaries enable biotech companies to tap large markets around the world. India to this extent holds a good advantage over other countries.

India, today, holds a small share of the global biotech market, but has all the capabilities to become a dominant player. The consumption of biotech products in India is expected to quadruple in the next decade. The human and animal segment of the industry alone is growing by at least 20%.

While India has been practicing conventional biotechnology for decades modern biotechnology is rather new to India. In 1997, the total biotech market in India was valued at $ 500 million. This grew to $ 1 billion in 1999 and is expected to grow to $ 4.5 billion by 2010. Human health biotech accounts for 60 % of the total sales, while agro biotech and veterinary-biotech together account for 15 % of the total revenue and medical devices, contract R&D and reagents and supplies constitute the remainder. There exist 800 companies, operating in all sectors of biotechnology, but there are only 25 companies that are working in the modern biotech sectors.

India has very interesting natural features like bio-diversity, varied species of flora and fauna, varied climatic zones, large population with varied demography, largest agriculture sectors, world-class information-technology industry, vibrant pharmaceutical sector and a large pool of scientific talent that creates almost a perfect environment for biotech companies to shift base here. With its large population of over a billion people India also provides a huge market for products and services.

India has a rich human capital, which is the strongest asset for this knowledge-based industry. India has a large English speaking base and produces roughly 2.5 million graduates in IT, engineering and life sciences, about 650,000 postgraduates and nearly 1500 PhDs qualified in biosciences and engineering each year. India has proved its competency in selected areas of biotechnology such as capacity in bioprocess engineering, skills in gene manipulation of microbes and animal cells, capacity in downstream processing and isolation methods, and its competence in recombinant DNA technology of plants and animals.

India has also allowed assisted stem cell research that permits researchers to use embryos from fertility clinics upon informed consent of the donors, thus giving it a clear head start in this new and promising field in Biotech. Clearly, India has the strength and capabilities in this industry, and a definite advantage to forge ahead and become the chosen location for many biotech companies looking for large markets and low cost qualified manpower to work in their R&D division.

The inherent strengths of the Nation combined with rising public interest in this sector, growing investment by traditional business houses, tax incentives and the significant foreign investment available, poises Indian biotechnology sector to emerge as a significant force on the global biotech map.