BSL-4 lab will end India's dependence on foreign countries for testing dangerous viruses: Shah

Ahmedabad, Jan 13 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday laid the foundation stone of the BSL-4 Biocontainment Facility of the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre in Gandhinagar, noting that India won't be dependent on foreign countries for testing samples of dangerous viruses.

He said testing of samples will also become faster after the facility is activated.

Shah noted that despite India’s population of 1.4 billion, the country so far had only one BSL-4 laboratory at the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, forcing samples to be transported hundreds of kilometres for testing.

He said Gujarat has become the first state to establish a Biosafety Level-4 (BSL-4) laboratory, the highest level of biosafety containment required for handling highly contagious and fatal viruses, with no available vaccines or treatments.

Shah said this is the second BSL-4 laboratory in the country, but the first one being built by a state government, and the credit for this goes to Gujarat.

"A strong fortress for India's biosafety is being built here at a cost of Rs 362 crore in over 11,000 square meters of area," added Shah.

Addressing a gathering, Shah said a new era of India's health security, bio-safety, and development of the bio sector has begun under the leadership of PM Modi, according to a PIB release.

He said the laboratory will emerge in the coming days as a strong protective shield for the Indian health sector.

Shah stated that the initiative is based on PM Modi's vision that science and technology should not remain limited to research and development (R&D) alone, but should become a foundational pillar of the nationâs overall development.

Shah said that after the National Institute of Virology in Pune, this will be India's second high-level laboratory.

He said India had lagged behind the world in cutting-edge research for many years, but with the BSL-4 Biocontainment Facility, young people working in the biotechnology sector will get new opportunities, and India will be able to move ahead in this field.

This facility will provide scientists with a platform to conduct research on highly infectious and deadly viruses in a safe environment, said Shah.

The Union Home Minister further said that the BSL-4 Biocontainment Facility is being developed after studying BSL laboratories across the world.

He said world-class arrangements will be made to study diseases that are transmitted from animals to humans.

Citing a study, Shah said 60 to 70 per cent of diseases spread from animals to humans, and therefore India has launched the 'One Health Mission' to ensure the safety of both humans and animals.

With the BSL-4 facility coming up, scientists will no longer have to depend on foreign countries to test samples of dangerous viruses.

"Ending this dependence on foreign countries will speed up testing and make us self-reliant. We need research-based permanent security, and this laboratory will fulfil all our needs," he said, adding that the BSL-4 facility will meet all requirements.

Highlighting India’s growth in biotechnology over the past 11 years, Shah said the country’s bio-economy has grown from USD 10 billion in 2014 to USD 166 billion by FY 2024.

He added that a 17-fold growth in just 10 years shows that India's youth and entrepreneurs can achieve great success in the bio-economy sector, provided they receive support from the government and the necessary infrastructure.

The number of biotech startups has risen from fewer than 500 in 2014 to over 10,000 by 2025, while bio-incubators have increased from 6 to 95.

The 60,000 square feet of incubation space has increased 15 times to 9 lakh square feet today, he added.

"Earlier, there were only a few products in the market, but now more than 800 products have been launched," Shah said.

According to Shah, the number of patents filed by India in the biotech sector increased from 125 in 2014 to 1,300 by 2025. Earlier, private funding was Rs 10 crore, but now investments in this sector have reached Rs 7,000 crore.

"The future is bright for youth in biotechnology. Our young people are not job seekers, but job creators," Shah said.

He also highlighted India’s leadership in vaccine manufacturing, stating that around 60 per cent of the world’s vaccines are produced in India. He cited the indigenous cervical cancer vaccine Cervavac and the world’s first DNA-based COVID-19 vaccine as major achievements.

Shah said initiatives such as the Bio E-3 (Economy, Environment and Employment) policy and the Genome India Project, which has sequenced over 10,000 genomes, will further strengthen the sector.

Recalling the COVID-19 pandemic, Shah said India managed the crisis better than other nations and successfully vaccinated its entire population twice, with digital certificates issued instantly.

The Union Minister added that India vaccinated its population of 1.4 billion people twice, and everyone received their certificates instantly on their mobile phones with the smiling face of Prime Minister Modi.

Separately, Shah addressed the 15th convocation ceremony of the Charotar University of Science and Technology in Anand. PTI PJT PD NSK