New Delhi, Nov 3: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has called for a more supportive policy environment, faster regulatory approvals and easier access to finance to accelerate India’s growing bioeconomy and strengthen its position in the global biotechnology sector.
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Addressing a high-level roundtable titled ‘India’s Bioeconomy Opportunity: Role of Startups in Driving Innovation and Growth’ in New Delhi, Goyal emphasised the need to harness India’s scientific expertise, research capabilities and entrepreneurial potential to drive innovation and expand the country’s bioeconomy.
According to an official statement from the Commerce Ministry, the minister also stressed the importance of implementing recommendations emerging from the discussions within a defined timeframe.
The meeting focused on addressing key challenges faced by biopharma startups, particularly regulatory delays, funding constraints, inadequate infrastructure and limited collaboration between research institutions and industry.
Single-Window Clearances, Regulatory Reforms on Agenda
The roundtable, organised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) in collaboration with NITI Aayog and NITI Frontier Tech Hub, explored several measures to create a more enabling ecosystem for biotechnology startups.
Among the major proposals discussed were the introduction of a regulatory sandbox, single-window clearance mechanisms, alignment with international regulatory standards and simplification of patent application procedures.
Participants underlined that reducing procedural hurdles and improving access to regulatory support would help startups bring innovative products to market faster and expand their operations.
Shared Infrastructure to Support Biopharma Startups
The discussions also highlighted the need to strengthen common research and testing infrastructure to reduce the operational burden on emerging companies.
The proposed development of shared laboratories, testing facilities and clinical trial infrastructure was identified as an important step towards lowering costs and encouraging innovation.
The participants also reviewed Biopharma SHAKTI, announced in the Union Budget 2026-27, and discussed ways to strengthen its role in supporting India’s biopharmaceutical ecosystem.
Stronger Industry-Academia Collaboration Emphasised
Distinguished Fellow at NITI Aayog Debjani Ghosh highlighted the importance of closer cooperation among startups, established industries, academic institutions and government agencies to build a globally competitive bioeconomy.
NITI Aayog Member Gobardhan Das, meanwhile, stressed the need to enhance India’s research capabilities and ensure that scientific breakthroughs are translated into commercially viable products.
The roundtable further deliberated on boosting domestic life sciences manufacturing, speeding up customs clearance for laboratory equipment and research reagents, and simplifying access to government schemes and regulatory assistance.
Focus on Coordinated Policy Action
The Commerce Ministry said participants also emphasised stronger coordination among different ministries to ensure consistent policy interventions and faster resolution of challenges affecting the sector.
The discussions come amid growing efforts to position biotechnology and biopharmaceuticals as key drivers of India’s innovation-led economic growth.
With faster approvals, improved financing opportunities and better research infrastructure emerging as major priorities, the proposed measures are aimed at helping Indian startups scale up, strengthen domestic manufacturing and compete more effectively in international markets.
