Gujarat seeks to build biotechnology, biomanufacturing hub by 2030: Report

Gandhinagar, June 28 (IANS) A new report by the Gujarat Rajya Institute for Transformation (GRIT) on Sunday outlined an ambitious roadmap for Gujarat to emerge as India’s leading biotechnology and biomanufacturing hub by 2030, with a strong focus on developing a skilled workforce, extending specialised education and strengthening industry-oriented training.

The report, titled ‘Gujarat Bio-Economy 2030: Strategic Skill Architecture and Workforce Development’, said that India’s bio-economy has rose from around $10 billion in 2014 to more than $150 billion in 2024.

Backed by the Centre’s BioE3 Policy (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment), the country has set a target of building a $300 billion bio-economy by the end of the decade, with Gujarat expected to play a significant role.

According to the report, Gujarat is well positioned to support that target because it accounts for around 40 per cent of India’s pharmaceutical production and is one of the country’s leading chemical manufacturing centres.

“Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the state aims to strengthen its position in biotechnology and biomanufacturing by leveraging its existing industrial base and expanding its skilled talent pool,” an official said.

The report notes that the national bio-economy target is based on expected growth in both domestic demand and exports. It identifies biopharma, bio-industrial manufacturing and bio-agriculture as the principal drivers of future growth.

Biopharma, which contributes about 35 per cent of the sector, continues to be driven by vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics.

India currently supplies more than 35 per cent of global vaccine demand, and the report says “advances in technologies such as mRNA and viral vectors are expected to expand this capability further”.

The bio-industrial segment, accounting for 47 per cent of the sector, is witnessing growing demand for fermentation technology specialists due to increased use of bio-based chemicals and the country’s ethanol blending programme, which achieved its 20 per cent target ahead of schedule.

Bio-agriculture represents around eight per cent of the sector.

The report says climate change is advancing the adoption of technologies such as CRISPR-based crops and bio-fertilisers, which are moving from research laboratories to agricultural fields.

The BioE3 Policy places particular emphasis on creating a skilled workforce for high-performance biomanufacturing.

According to the policy, the availability of appropriate talent and supporting infrastructure will allow the sector to maximise its production capacity.

The report also highlights Gujarat’s existing strengths, including its manufacturing ecosystem, research institutions, progressive policy framework, 1,600-km coastline and diverse agricultural base.

It states that these factors provide a strong foundation for the state to become a major participant in the global bio-economy.

Referring to the Gujarat State Biotechnology Policy 2022-27, the report says the state intends to move beyond large-scale production of generic medicines and expand into the development of innovative biologics, reflecting a broader shift from conventional industrial manufacturing towards a knowledge-driven bio-economy.

The report identifies the development of a strong local talent ecosystem as one of the state’s biggest opportunities.

“Investing in specialised education and skills training could reduce the migration of skilled professionals, lower the need for workforce retraining and support sustainable industrial growth,” it said.

As part of its assessment, GRIT examined 23 institutions offering biotechnology and related programmes across Gujarat.

The study concludes that the state already has a strong educational foundation capable of producing quality biotechnology professionals, while also identifying opportunities to further align academic curricula with emerging industry requirements so that graduates are better prepared for future employment in the sector.

–IANS

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