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India is working on BioPharmaNext, a flagship mission aimed at making the country a global hub for the next generation of medicines by 2035, said a NITI Aayog report released on Thursday which outlined the government’s long-term biotechnology strategy.
Unlike conventional medicines made using chemical processes, biologics are medicines developed from living cells or organisms. They include treatments such as vaccines, monoclonal antibodies used for cancer and autoimmune diseases, insulin, and advanced cell and gene therapies that can treat or even cure certain genetic and rare diseases. These medicines are among the fastest-growing segments of the global pharmaceutical industry but are often expensive.
The report says BioPharmaNext will be built on India’s success in producing affordable vaccines and biosimilars — lower-cost versions of biologic medicines whose patents have expired.
Backed by the ₹10,000-crore Biopharma SHAKTI programme announced in the Union Budget 2026-27, the mission will focus on developing gene therapies, cell therapies, monoclonal antibodies, long-acting biologics and AI-designed medicines. It will be led by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
According to the report, by 2035, nearly 40% of all medicines sold globally are expected to be biologics. It also notes that biologic drugs worth about $300 billion will lose patent protection by 2030, creating an opportunity for countries such as India to manufacture more affordable versions.
The report estimates that capturing just 1% of the global biosimilar market, expected to be worth $73-76 billion by 2030, could generate around ₹6,400 crore every year for India.
To help Indian companies develop new medicines instead of only manufacturing existing ones, the report recommends using artificial intelligence (AI) in drug discovery. It says AI, along with large-scale genetic data and automated research systems, could reduce the time taken to develop new medicines by 60-80%, lower research costs by 20-30%, and improve the chances of success in clinical trials.
However, the report says India must first address several challenges. It points out that regulatory approvals currently take around 900 days, compared with about 500 days in many competing countries. It also highlights limited clinical trial infrastructure, a shortage of skilled researchers and insufficient high-performance computing facilities needed for AI-based drug research.
To overcome these hurdles, the report recommends creating a fast-track approval system for advanced medicines such as biosimilars, gene therapies and AI-designed drugs. It also proposes setting up five bioinnovation hubs where startups, researchers and companies can develop and manufacture new medicines using shared infrastructure.
Other recommendations include building high-performance computing centres for AI-based drug discovery, expanding training in biotechnology and computational biology, encouraging Indian scientists working abroad to return, and giving preference to Indian-made biologic medicines in government procurement.
The report says BioPharmaNext will work alongside the proposed GeneIndia mission, which will focus on developing cutting-edge curative therapies.
Published on July 17, 2026
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