In a first, 'Vande Mataram' to be sung from ramparts of historic Red Fort (See 'Corp Brief') National Handloom Designers' Conclave showcases Design-Led Innovation (See 'Corp Brief') A&C - Award is patently illegal and liable to be set aside if it ignores vital evidence, applies circular logic, or blocks party from presenting its case: HC (See 'Legal Desk') PM-YASASVI Scheme implementation in Maharashtra reviewed Regularly: Govt (See 'Corp Brief') PBPT - Routing of funds through company to appellant squarely attracts Section 2(9)(A) of the Act as property stood in name of benamidar while consideration emanated from beneficial owner: SAFEMA Tribunal (See 'Legal Desk') MoS calls for greater Private Sector Participation in Biotechnology Ecosystem (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - Right of Personal Guarantor to invoke insolvency provisions of Sec 94 of IBC is statutory right that cannot be extinguished merely because Financial Creditor has initiated recovery proceedings under SARFAESI: NCLT (See 'Legal Desk') Empowering Nari Shakti: 1 crore houses allotted to women (See 'Corp Brief') MoS dedicates to nation first-of-its-kind 'Eco-Educational Hub' (See 'Corp Brief') NI Act - Moratorium protects corporate debtor in respect of insolvency proceedings, but does not grant immunity to natural persons from criminal liability already incurred on account of cheque dishonour: HC (See 'Legal Desk') XI BRICS Culture Ministers' meeting concludes in Bhopal (See 'Corp Brief') A&C - If prima facie arbitration agreement exists and non-signatories have shown conduct aligning with contract, referral court should allow arbitrator to finalize list of parties based on detailed evidence: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Railways approves introduction of Daily Itarsi-Madan Mahal Passenger Service (See 'Corp Brief') A&C - Arbitral award is patently illegal if it is rendered in summary manner without allowing parties to lead evidence or be heard on critical pleadings: HC (See 'Legal Desk') 13th BRICS Education Ministers' meeting concludes with Declaration (See 'Corp Brief') IEPFA organises Stakeholder Engagement with Nodal Officers of Companies on Portal 2.0 (See 'Corp Brief') SARFAESI - Any tenancy created after issuance of notice u/s 13(2) without prior written consent of secured creditor, is void ab initio: HC National Handloom Day celebrates Tribal Weaves of India (See 'Corp Brief') SECL leads India in Scientific Mine Closure, Transforming abandoned Mines (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - RBI prudential norms stopping banks from recognising interest income on NPA accounts do not wipe out borrower's obligation to accrue & recognise interest expense in its own financial statements: NCLAT (See 'Legal Desk') Sowa-Rigpa must emerge as Globally Recognised Evidence-Based Healthcare System: Jadhav (See 'Corp Brief') Insurance Division, DFS secures 3rd Rank in Group A Category of Grievance Redressal (See 'Corp Brief') IPR - Registration of defendant's trademark does not bar passing off action where plaintiff establishes prior goodwill, misrepresentation and likely damage: HC (See 'Legal Desk') IndiaAI Mission organised AIKosh Univ Engagement Programme at Chitkara Univ (See 'Corp Brief') A&C - In international commercial arbitration seated in India, ground of ‘patent illegality' u/s 34(2A) is expressly excluded: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Comprehensive measures taken to boost digital infrastructure & cyber security: Jitin Prasada (See 'Corp Brief') Misc - A minor admitted to benefits of partnership firm is not personally liable for debts or liabilities incurred by firm during age of minority - ergo, bank communication declaring minor as wilful defaulter is invalid: HC (See 'Legal Desk') IPC showcases India's Regulatory Excellence at WHO Meeting in Nepal (See 'Corp Brief') Companies Act - Solely because a private bank carries on banking operations as scheduled bank or is bound to follow regulatory guidelines issued by the RBI, it does not acquires character of a statutory body: HC (See 'Legal Desk') GI & Beyond 2.0 Summit showcases India's GI-tagged Handloom and Handicraft Products (See 'Corp Brief') IPR - Test for 'efficacy' u/s 3(d) of Patents Act is not limited to 'therapeutic efficacy' for all substances: HC (See 'Legal Desk') CCI approves combination of many entities into InterGlobe Hotels (See 'Corp Brief') IPR - U/s 9(1)(a) of Trade Marks Act, correct legal test is whether applied mark possesses 'distinctive character', means if it is capable of distinguishing applicant's goods from those of others - YES: HC (See 'Legal Desk') House Panel deliberates on strengthening Human-Wildlife Conflict Mitigation through Technology (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - Private bank's commercial decision on debt assignment or settlement, even if regulated by RBI norms, remains private banking transaction and does not satisfy function test for writ maintainability: HC (See 'Legal Desk') PM-PRANAM Promotes Balanced Use of Fertilizer, Organic Farming (See 'Corp Brief') IPR - In absence of evidence showing acquired distinctiveness or secondary meaning, descriptive mark could not validly remain on Register: HC (See 'Legal Desk') On International Clouded Leopard Day, India strengthens Conservation through Dedicated Action Plan (See 'Corp Brief') Limitation - Single Judge rightly declined to exercise writ jurisdiction in a matter which essentially involves contractual obligations & involves disputed issues of fact: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Tete-a-tete around AI in banking sector often begins with algorithms (See CORP EINSICHT)

Print

MoS calls for greater Private Sector Participation in Biotechnology Ecosystem

Published: Aug 11, 2026

By TIOLCorplaws News Service

NEW DELHI, AUG 11, 2026: UNION Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, and MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, has called for enhancing private sector participation in India's Biotechnology ecosystem, strengthening the industry outreach to promote indigenous products and technologies in biotechnology and life sciences, and to encourage greater private investment.

Dr Jitendra Singh stressed the need to build stronger linkages between India's indigenous biotechnology capabilities, industry and investors so that promising innovations can move from research and development to commercialisation at a faster pace.

The Minister's emphasis came during a meeting with senior officials of the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) in New Delhi, where a range of measures to expand investment, industry participation and market opportunities for India's biotechnology ecosystem were discussed.

The meeting focused on the implementation of the BIRAC Research, Development and Innovation Fund (BIRAC-RDIF), strengthening industry engagement in biotechnology, integrating Life Sciences Global Capability Centres (GCCs) with the domestic biotech ecosystem, leveraging Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for biotechnology-led initiatives, enhancing BIRAC's outreach and international visibility, and creating stronger investor linkages for biotechnology startups and enterprises. Dr. Dhananjay Tiwary, Managing Director, BIRAC and Senior Adviser/Scientist 'H', DBT; Dr. Manish Diwan, Group General Manager and Head, BIRAC-RDIF; CS Kavita Anandani, General Manager and Head, Corporate & Legal Affairs along with senior officials were present.

The BIRAC-RDIF is a key component of the Government of India's Rs.1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund aimed at advancing deep-tech innovations and high-impact indigenous manufacturing under the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. Launched by the Hon'ble Prime Minister on November 3, 2025, the RDI Fund is managed by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), with BIRAC designated as a Second Level Fund Manager for the biotechnology sector.

BIRAC-RDIF is designed to support the development and commercialisation of indigenous biotechnology innovations, particularly high-risk and technology-intensive projects spanning Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 4 to 9. Eligible technology entities, including startups and industry, can receive assistance ranging from Rs.5 crore to Rs.200 crore, covering up to 50 per cent of the total project cost. The Fund provides support through collateral-free long-term loans, equity and hybrid instruments, with a strategic co-investment framework aimed at catalysing greater private-sector participation in biotechnology.

BIRAC has established a dedicated BIRAC-RDIF division to ensure ring-fenced implementation of the Fund. The first National Call for Proposals was launched on February 13, 2026, along with the BIRAC-RDIF website and an integrated e-portal for receiving applications from eligible startups and industry. A total of 198 applications has been received and are being appraised in accordance with the scheme guidelines. Screening and evaluation of the first 50 applications has been completed, with eight Eligible Technology Entities selected so far on the recommendations of the Investment Committee comprising external experts. These entities are currently undergoing detailed due diligence before entering into loan or equity agreements.

The meeting also focused on tapping the growing Life Sciences Global Capability Centre (GCC) ecosystem to deepen industry participation in India's biotechnology sector. India currently hosts more than 1,700 GCCs employing around 1.9 million professionals, while life sciences and healthcare GCCs have emerged as important centres of R&D in areas including biopharmaceuticals, medical devices and digital health. BIRAC will facilitate greater integration of existing and prospective GCCs with the domestic biotechnology ecosystem by mapping their requirements in infrastructure, pilot-scale manufacturing and R&D, and connecting them with India's BioE3 bio-foundries, bio-incubators and StartUps.

The role of CSR in expanding the biotechnology ecosystem was also taken up during the meeting. With India's CSR expenditure increasing substantially over the past decade and healthcare accounting for a significant share of CSR investments, BIRAC proposes to leverage its scientific due-diligence capabilities, nationwide network and transparent grant-management framework to channel CSR investments into biotechnology-led social innovation. Areas identified include affordable healthcare, diagnostics, maternal and child health, nutrition, climate-resilient agriculture and skill development. BIRAC already has a CSR-implementing-agency framework and has undertaken pilot corporate CSR initiatives, providing a foundation for scaling up such partnerships.

Strengthening BIRAC's outreach and visibility was another area of focus. BIRAC has proposed branding initiatives at Jammu and Vadodara airports to showcase DBT-BIRAC achievements and create greater awareness among corporates, investors and global partners about opportunities to collaborate with India's biotechnology ecosystem. Jammu is emerging as a destination for biotech, healthcare and Agri-innovation, while Vadodara has an established pharma-biotech-manufacturing base.

The meeting also addressed the need to strengthen India's biotechnology investment ecosystem, particularly access to growth-stage capital. In this context, BIRAC has proposed the BIRAC Startup Investor Connect, a dedicated platform to bring together investment-ready biotechnology startups and investors. The platform is envisaged to create greater awareness of biotechnology opportunities, facilitate strategic partnerships, strengthen investment networks and accelerate the commercialisation of innovative technologies.

The initiatives discussed during the meeting seek to strengthen the bridge between India's scientific capabilities, indigenous biotechnology products, industry and investment, while creating greater opportunities for public and private sector participation. The approach is aimed at accelerating the journey of Indian biotechnology innovations from laboratory validation to commercialisation and strengthening the foundation for a globally competitive biotechnology ecosystem aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

TIOL CORP SEARCH

TIOL GROUP WEBSITES

taxindiaonline
taxindiainternational
tioltube
TKF
TIOLawards
A TIOL Website. Copyright © 2025 TIOLcorplaws.com All rights reserved.