Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh calls for enhancing Private Sector Participation in India’s Biotechnology Ecosystem

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh urged greater private‑sector participation in India’s biotechnology ecosystem, stressing stronger industry outreach to promote indigenous products and attract investment. The meeting with senior BIRAC officials highlighted the BIRAC‑Research, Development and Innovation Fund (BIRAC‑RDIF), a component of the ₹1 lakh crore RDI Fund, which offers collateral‑free loans, equity and hybrid instruments covering up to 50 % of project costs for TRL 4‑9 biotech projects. The first call for proposals, launched on 13 Feb 2026, attracted 198 applications, with eight entities shortlisted for detailed due‑diligence. Plans were also outlined to integrate over 1,700 life‑sciences GCCs (≈1.9 million professionals) with domestic biotech, and to channel CSR funds into biotech‑led health, nutrition and climate‑resilient agriculture initiatives.