Gandhinagar:
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah on Tuesday laid the foundation stone of the BSL-4 Bio-Containment Facility of the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC) in Gandhinagar, marking a major step towards strengthening India’s bio-security and health preparedness. Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Harsh Sanghavi and several other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Amit Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, a new era of health security, bio-safety and bio-sector development is beginning from the soil of Gujarat. He said the BSL-4 facility would emerge as a strong protective shield for the country’s health system and reflects the Prime Minister’s vision of making science and technology a pillar of national development, not limited to research alone.
Shri Shah said that after the National Institute of Virology in Pune, this will be the country’s second BSL-4 level laboratory, and the first such facility to be built by a state government. Built at a cost of ₹362 crore and spread over 11,000 square metres, the facility will enable scientists to safely research highly infectious and deadly viruses, strengthening India’s preparedness against future health threats.
He said that the facility has been designed after studying top BSL laboratories across the world and will also focus on diseases transmitted from animals to humans. Noting that 60 to 70 per cent of diseases are zoonotic, Shri Shah said India has launched the One Health Mission to ensure the safety of both humans and animals. With this facility, India will no longer need to depend on foreign laboratories for testing dangerous pathogens, which will make the country more self-reliant and speed up critical research.
Highlighting the growth of the biotechnology sector, Shri Shah said India’s bio-economy has expanded from USD 10 billion in 2014 to USD 166 billion by the end of the financial year 2024, reflecting a 17-fold increase. The number of biotechnology startups has risen from fewer than 500 in 2014 to over 10,000 by 2025, while bio-incubators have increased from 6 to 95 in the same period. He added that patent filings have jumped from 125 to 1,300, and investments in the sector have grown from ₹10 crore to ₹7,000 crore.
The Home Minister said India has emerged as the world’s largest vaccine producer, supplying about 60 per cent of global vaccine demand. He also cited India’s indigenous cervical cancer vaccine Cervavac and the world’s first DNA-based COVID-19 vaccine as examples of the country’s growing scientific capability.
Referring to Gujarat’s role in biotechnology, Shri Shah recalled that the Gujarat State Biotechnology Mission was established two decades ago on the vision of Prime Minister Modi. Today, Gujarat is among the top five biotechnology states in the country, and once the BSL-4 facility becomes operational, it is set to take a leading position in the sector.
Shri Shah also spoke about India’s effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that the country successfully vaccinated its entire population and supplied vaccines to 70 nations. He said the new BSL-4 facility will further strengthen India’s capacity to handle future health emergencies, especially in the face of emerging challenges such as antimicrobial resistance.
The Home Minister said that development and science are not opposed to heritage, but complement each other. He linked the foundation of the BSL-4 facility with the Prime Minister’s launch of the Somnath Swabhimaan Parv, saying both heritage and science are integral to India’s progress.
