Biotechnology, the multidisciplinary science which utilizes the living organisms or the parts of living organisms for improving the living status of mankind. It encompasses many fields from the animal world to the microscopic microbial world.            

The country’s biotech revolution only began in the mid- 1980’s since then have seen India make tremendous progress in the area of Biotechnology, emerging as a driving force in some areas and a strong contender in others. India is there in one of the five emerging biotech leaders in the Asia- Pacific region. The country is the largest vaccine producers and the largest cultivator of Bt cotton.            

he Indian biotechnology sector today comprises over 350 companies generating revenues about $2 billion that are estimated to reach more than $5 billion by 2010. The sector has been growing at between 35-40 percent per annum for the last couple of years.            

With a focus on transgenic corn, rice, chickpea, and several other food crops, agriculture is beginning to gain momentum in India. Stem cells and regenerative medicine also promise innovative and affordable approaches to addressing the burden of infectious as well as non-communicable diseases.              

Considering the country’s vulnerability on the energy security front, biofuels and industrial enzymes decidedly represent an area of opportunity for the Indian biotech.