India Proposes Biomanufacturing Working Group With Delaware

The minister said science, technology and biotechnology are a key pillar of the India–US strategic partnership and that India seeks deeper engagement with US states that have strong innovation ecosystems. He highlighted India’s emergence as a hub for biotechnology and pharmaceutical innovation, with capacities from research and development to large-scale, cost-efficient manufacturing. He noted the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, with 37 laboratories and over 7,500 scientists, anchors much of the country’s industrial research effort.

He cited Delaware’s bio-science ecosystem and the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) as potential collaborators in advanced biomanufacturing, AI-enabled processes and rapid scale-up technologies. He said India’s manufacturing strengths and Delaware’s proximity to major US pharmaceutical companies can support co-development of affordable biologics, biosimilars and vaccines for global health.

He outlined avenues for cooperation including joint biomanufacturing platforms, translational research bridges, startup incubation and workforce co-training in Good Manufacturing Practice manufacturing, regulatory science and quality systems. He identified regulatory science alignment and resilient supply chains for biopharmaceutical inputs as priorities. He noted that the Ministry of Science and Technology supports around 150 incubators and that the government has established a Rs one trillion (tn) research, development and innovation fund to catalyse private-sector and deep-tech investment.

Delegation members from government, universities and industry discussed opportunities in clean hydrogen, workforce development, startup incubation and corporate incorporation frameworks. Both sides agreed that a structured working group would carry discussions into actionable programmes such as joint research calls, startup exchanges and institutional partnerships, adding a state-level dimension to the India–US strategic partnership.