India’s Bioeconomy Grows 16x in a Decade, Eyes $300 Billion by 2030
27 August 2025 – Marking one year of the BioE3 Policy (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment), Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh announced new initiatives including the BioE3 Youth Challenge and the country’s first National Biofoundry Network. The minister also highlighted the rapid growth of India’s bioeconomy, a sector that uses biotechnology and biological resources to create sustainable solutions such as biofuels, biodegradable plastics, climate-smart crops, and new medicines.
Key Highlights
- Bioeconomy Growth: Expanded from $10 billion in 2014 to $165.7 billion in 2024, with a target of $300 billion by 2030.
- Youth Innovation: Launch of the BioE3 Challenge for Youth, inviting ideas from students, startups, and researchers. Top winners will receive ₹25 lakh funding and incubation support.
- National Biofoundry Network: Six institutions set up to boost indigenous biomanufacturing, jobs, and scale-up of bio-solutions.
- Other milestones include India’s first Biomanufacturing Institute (Mohali), bio-AI hubs, and collaboration with ISRO on space biotechnology.
| Milestone | Details | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Bioeconomy Growth | $10B (2014) → $165.7B (2024) → Target $300B (2030) | Expanding biotechnology’s share in India’s economy |
| BioE3 Youth Challenge | Monthly calls for ideas; top 100 projects eligible for up to ₹25 lakh funding | Boosts youth-led innovation & startups |
| National Biofoundry Network | 6 institutions set up | Scales up indigenous biomanufacturing, creates jobs |
| Biomanufacturing Institute | Established at Mohali | First dedicated national-level institute |
| Bio-AI Hubs | Emerging centres for biotech + AI | Accelerates convergence research |
| ISRO Partnership | MoU for space biotechnology; 3 DBT-backed experiments on ISS | Strengthens India’s space & biotech integration |
Takeaway: From space biotech to grassroots innovations, biotechnology is becoming a pillar of India’s growth — aiming for a $300B bioeconomy by 2030.
