Genomics & Biotech Research

The Department of Biotechnology sanctioned GenomeIndia: Cataloguing the Genetic Variation in Indians on 16 January 2020, for three years across 20 institutions, with a target of whole genome sequencing of 10,000 individuals. In March 2020 it established the Indian Biological Data Centre (IBDC), and the Biotech-PRIDE Guidelines on data sharing followed in 2021. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 16 bio-repositories for COVID-19 samples were designated in May 2020 under ICMR, DBT and CSIR. The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) was set up in December 2020 with 10 laboratories to track variants and had 28 by July 2021.

On 9 January 2025, at the Genomics Data Conclave, the GenomeIndia data was dedicated to researchers, and the Framework for Exchange of Data (FeED) Protocols and IBDC portals were launched to give access to 10,000 whole genome samples. The dataset covers 10,074 healthy individuals from 83 populations at 99 sites, with about 36.7% of samples from rural, 32.2% from urban and 31.1% from tribal populations. As of April 2025, the resource at IBDC comprised FASTQ files of 9,772 samples (~700 TB), gVCF files (~35 TB) and phenotypic data from 9,330 samples. DBT has invited proposals for translational research using the data, and also accepts independent requests for access.

The IBDC, at the Regional Centre of Biotechnology in Faridabad with a disaster recovery site at NIC Bhubaneswar, is mandated to archive all life science data generated from publicly funded research in India and runs seven specialised data portals. GenomeIndia data is shared under the Biotech-PRIDE Guidelines and FeED Protocols: researchers get gVCF files, while the ~700 TB of raw FASTQ files are not available for download at present. CSIR's Phenome India cohort, launched on 7 December 2023, collects clinical, lifestyle, imaging, biochemical and molecular data to build India-specific risk models for cardio-metabolic disease. Under BIRAC's BioNEST scheme, bioincubators give start-ups incubation space, access to equipment, mentoring and regulatory guidance.

At the January 2025 conclave, the Minister of State for Science and Technology announced a future target of sequencing 10 million genomes. The Phenome India National Biobank, opened at CSIR-IGIB on 6 July 2025, is to track the health of its 10,000 participants over several years. The DBT–BIRAC network reached 94 bioincubators across 25 States and UTs by April 2026; in December 2025 DBT reported 75 BioNEST and 19 E-YUVA centres supporting more than 3,000 entrepreneurs and start-ups. Under the BioE3 policy, 186 projects had been recommended for funding and a network of six biofoundries launched by December 2025; the bio-economy's size is tracked on the Bio-economy · BioE3 page.

10,074 individuals whole-genome sequenced under GenomeIndia (83 populations, 99 sites). ~700 TB of FASTQ files from 9,772 samples archived at IBDC (April 2025). 10,000 participants in the Phenome India cohort and National Biobank. 94 bioincubators across 25 States and UTs (April 2026). Biotech start-ups 5,365 (2021) → 13,000 (2025). Sources: Department of Biotechnology, CSIR, BIRAC and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare via PIB; Lok Sabha reply (19 March 2025); Rajya Sabha reply (2 April 2026); BIRAC.