Biotech Policy Initiatives

Perhaps one of the greatest impetus to the growth of the bio-technology in India was part of the positive political climate and investment offered by the government and the governments of states that have tried to develop the sector in their respective states. The government and the governments of states have taken various initiatives to promote biotechnology in India. State governments, including Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi have taken initiatives to encourage entrepreneurs to establish industries of biotechnology in their states.

Among the important measures taken by central governments and states the following:

• Establishment of a separate Department of Biotechnology under the Ministry of Science and Technology in 1986 gave impetus to the growth of Indian economy.

• Announcement of a separate policy for biotechnology in the U.S. as a recognition of the importance of the sector as a key area for growth;

• Setting up of exclusive Biotechnology Parks, they must encourage research, establish links between their research institutions and industry. various concessions offered to the industry in terms of one-stop shop for quick clearance, exemption from taxation, the creation of funds to be used for the incubation of a new project.

• establish working groups with experts to guide them on policy issues and the establishment of a positive policy framework.

• Holding fairs in various fields of science and technology seminars for national and international initiatives for India in the field.

Many Indian companies have introduced products through original research and technology transfer between R & D institutes in India in the field of vaccines, diagnostics and clinical research and contract testing. Others have established tie ups and joint ventures with foreign companies for the provision of technology and testing of new products made with technology from abroad, to introduce them in India under the Indian laws. The outsourcing of R & D in biotechnology represents a tremendous opportunity for Indian companies to do research on behalf of foreign companies. The current expenditure on R & D outsourcing is about $ 9 billion and is expected to increase to 30 percent per year over the next five years.

There are about 50 R & D laboratories in the public sector, offering high-quality R & D and more than 20 research conducted in specific areas of biotechnology. In addition, there are companies in Bangalore with an excellent workforce and technical institutions worldwide as the Indian Institute of Science (IISC), National Centre for Biological Sciences (BCN), Jawahar Lal Nehru Centre for Research Advanced Scientific (JNCASR), Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, National Center for Macromolecular Crystallography, BARC, Mumbai, National High Field NMR, TIFR, Mumbai, Central Institute of Drug Research, Lucknow, National Brain Research, New Delhi, which offers all the services of high quality R & D organizations worldwide.