BRIC Third Foundation Day Highlights Biotech Sector Growth and International Collaboration
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh addressed the third Foundation Day of the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC) at the National Institute of Immunology, emphasizing India's potential to lead the next biotechnology-driven industrial revolution. The Minister called for deeper integration across scientific institutions and greater industry participation in India's biotechnology ecosystem, highlighting the government's approach of encouraging institutional integration to overcome silos while preserving autonomy.
Dr Singh reported remarkable growth in India's bioeconomy, which has expanded from approximately USD 10 billion to over USD 195 billion since the government took office. The biotechnology startup ecosystem has seen exponential growth from around 50-60 startups to more than 11,000, with several showing global potential. The Minister highlighted efforts to strengthen high-performance manufacturing through biomanufacturing hubs, biofoundries, and AI-integrated biomanufacturing, specifically mentioning biofoundry hubs in Mohali, Hyderabad, Pune, and Thiruvananthapuram.
International partnerships were emphasized as key to further progress, with the signing of a Letter of Intent between BRIC and the UK's Centre for Process Innovation to strengthen India-UK collaboration in biomanufacturing and support biofoundry development. The Wellcome Trust announced a significant grant of up to ₹21.7 crore for a five-year immersion training programme for more than 250 iBRIC+ PhD scholars.
Dr Singh highlighted the Genomics Centre of Excellence, which has attracted interest from medical institutions including AIIMS, noting that genomics could support the shift towards precision medicine. The i3C PhD programme was mentioned as enabling scholars to immerse themselves in research, innovate, and collaborate through placements in health and agriculture sectors, with nearly 200 students having benefited from the programme.
The Minister referenced the Prime Minister's Independence Day appeal to young people to explore opportunities in biotechnology, which generated enthusiasm across the sector, along with outreach programmes for school students and the public. The government is opening more avenues for private-sector participation in science and research, drawing on experience from nuclear sector reforms, with references to the Research, Development and Innovation Fund, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation, and BIRAC as parts of the wider research landscape.
Dr Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology and Director General of 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 decentralized national network. 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.
The event included recognition of scientific excellence with the iBRIC+ Spotlight Scientist of the Year–2026 awards presented to Dr Sunil Laxman of BRIC-inStem, Dr Rashna Bhandari of BRIC-CDFD, and Prof. Bhabatosh Das of BRIC-THSTI. Winners of the Festival of Sports were also felicitated during the event.