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India is among the top 12 destinations for biotechnology worldwide. The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), under the Ministry of Science and Technology, has placed great emphasis on developing an ecosystem for the development of excellence and research in a variety of biotechnology fields in India.
By creating and using a variety of tools at its disposal, such as vaccines, antivirals, diagnostic tests, and other tools, the biotechnology industry has been at the forefront of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic has assisted the country in setting up the ideal ecosystem for production, sourcing, and exporting medical devices and vaccines.
The number of biotech startup registrations has surged throughout the nation in 2021, with around 1,128 new startups registered, which is the highest in a single year since 2015. Estimates put the total number of biotechnology startups at 5,365, as of 2022. The number of startups is expected to touch 10,000 by 2024.
India’s bio-economy industry has grown from US$ 10 billion to US$ 80 billion in the last 8 years in 2022. The size of India’s bioeconomy is estimated to be at US$ 80.12 billion as of 2021, which is a 14.13% growth over US$ 70.2 billion in 2020. India’s bioeconomy contributes 2.6% to India’s GDP, as of 2021. India's bioeconomy is poised to reach US$ 300 billion by 2030.
Nearly a fifth of India’s bioeconomy, standing at US$ 14.56 billion, was due to the Covid-19 vaccination and testing drive. Covid-19 vaccines had a worth of US$ 8.7 billion, whereas testing cost US$ 5.9 billion. 1.45 billion Covid-19 doses were administered in 2021, and 1.3 million Covid tests were taken every day.
The largest portion of the Indian bioeconomy continues to be accounted for by biopharma. Biopharma accounted for 49% share of the bioeconomy, and its total economic contribution was estimated at US$ 39.4 billion. By 2025, the vaccination market in India is projected to be worth US$ 3.04 billion (Rs. 252 billion).
India allows 100% FDI under the automatic route (a non-resident or Indian company will not require any approval from the government) for greenfield pharmaceuticals and manufacturing medical devices. Some recent developments/investments in the Indian pharmaceutical sector are as follows:
The Indian biotechnology industry is built on entrepreneurship, innovation, developing domestic talent and demonstrating value-based care. Given the long history of diseases in India, the country has accumulated years of experience and scientific knowledge to prevent and treat them. India is working to boost the biotechnology sector under various flagship programmes such as 'Make in India' and 'Startup India'.
It is expected that the bioeconomy in the country will reach the US$ 150 billion mark by 2025. It is expected to contribute to roughly 3.3-3.5% of the country's GDP, up from 2.8% in 2021.
Both consumption and exports of diagnostic and medical devices are expected to increase significantly in India. With the help of recombinant and biosimilar products, the therapeutics sector is predicted to generate US$ 15 billion in bioeconomic activity by 2025.