In a significant stride towards fostering India’s bioeconomy and promoting sustainable growth, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the 17th Annual International Biocuration Conference (AIBC-2024). Hosted by the Indian Biological Data Centre (IBDC) at the Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) in Faridabad, Haryana, the event marks a pivotal moment in India’s biotechnology landscape.
Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized the pivotal role of biomanufacturing and bio-foundry in propelling India’s bioeconomy towards “Green Growth.” He underscored Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policy shift, prioritizing biotechnology research and bio startups, positioning them at the forefront of India’s development agenda.
Highlighting India’s global vision, Dr. Singh unveiled an exclusive scheme aimed at promoting biomanufacturing and bio-foundry. This transformative initiative seeks to transition from consumptive manufacturing to regenerative principles, offering eco-friendly alternatives such as biodegradable polymers, bio-plastics, bio-pharmaceuticals, and bio-Agri-inputs.
During the event, Dr. Jitendra Singh launched the ‘ICE’ – Integrated Computing Environment, a cloud-based computational facility designed for life science researchers. This dedicated supercomputing environment, accessible across the country, aims to facilitate genomic data storage, retrieval, and analysis.
Additionally, the Minister inaugurated three data submission portals, including the Indian Nucleotide Data Archive, Indian Crop Phenome Database Portal, and Indian Metabolome Data Archive Portal, further augmenting India’s data infrastructure.
Reflecting on India’s achievements in biotechnology, Dr. Singh lauded the development of the country’s first DNA vaccine for Covid-19. He underscored India’s emergence as a global leader in preventive healthcare, particularly evident during the COVID pandemic.
Furthermore, Dr. Singh announced India’s milestone in developing its first vaccine for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), a significant step towards preventing cervical cancer among adolescent girls.
Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, India’s bioeconomy has witnessed exponential growth, surging from $10 billion in 2014 to over $130 billion in 2024. Dr. Singh highlighted the remarkable expansion of India’s bio-startup ecosystem, with nearly 6,000 startups flourishing over the past decade.
With a rich repository of bioresources and diverse biodiversity, India stands poised to harness its biotechnological potential. Dr. Singh emphasized the importance of leveraging India’s natural wealth, including its Himalayan biodiversity and expansive coastline, to drive bioeconomic growth.
In conclusion, Dr. Singh underscored India’s commitment to advancing bioeconomy, blue economy, and space economy, positioning the nation as a frontrunner in global biotechnology innovation.
The event witnessed the presence of esteemed dignitaries, including Dr. Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Dr. Arvind Sahu, Executive Director, RCB, Dr. Suchita Ninawe, Advisor, DBT, and eminent foreign delegates and scientists, underscoring the international significance of India’s biotechnology advancements.
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