Union Minister Jitendra Singh Unveils INR 1,500 Cr Biomedical Research Initiative to Advance Healthcare Innovation
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The programme will be jointly funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), which will contribute INR 1,000 crore, and the UK-based Wellcome Trust, which will provide INR 500 crore.
The Government of India has launched Phase III of the Biomedical Research Career Programme (BRCP), an INR 1,500 crore initiative aimed at strengthening the country's biomedical research ecosystem and supporting healthcare innovation.
The programme will be jointly funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), which will contribute INR 1,000 crore, and the UK-based Wellcome Trust, which will provide INR 500 crore.
Speaking at the launch, Union Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, said, “Biotechnology is set to become the defining force behind India's next phase of economic growth, scientific advancement and global competitiveness, asserting that the country is no longer a participant but an emerging leader in the biotechnology revolution.”
The programme seeks to nurture a globally competitive biomedical research workforce comprising basic scientists, clinician-researchers, public health experts, science communicators and research managers while creating greater opportunities for interdisciplinary and collaborative research.
Highlighting the importance of sustained partnerships, Dr. Singh said the collaboration between the Government of India and the Wellcome Trust demonstrates how long-term international cooperation can accelerate scientific discovery, build research capacity, and address national and global health challenges. He also called for greater participation from philanthropic organisations and industry to help translate research into technologies and healthcare innovations.
The Minister said the Government has consistently created an enabling policy environment for frontier scientific research.
Referring to recent reforms, he said India has expanded opportunities for private participation in strategic research areas, including nuclear medicine, which will significantly strengthen future healthcare innovation.
He emphasised that closer integration of research institutions, industry and startups from the earliest stages of scientific development would accelerate the translation of laboratory discoveries into products and technologies benefiting society.
Outlining the next phase of the initiative, the Union Minister stated that the Phase-III will expand support for outstanding researchers , promote collaborative and translational research, strengthen India's biomedical innovation ecosystem and accelerate the development of technologies, diagnostics and healthcare solutions that address national priorities while enhancing India's global scientific leadership.
Furthermore, he noted that India's bioeconomy has expanded from approximately $ 10 billion in 2014 to over $ 195 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $ 300 billion by 2030.
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