Maharashtra has emerged as one of the coveted hubs for biotechnology in India and in the South East Asia. The state accounts for 55 per cent of the biotechnology companies in India, making it the country’s top destination for biotechnology companies, as per a report by PwC India. The state contributes to around 20% of India’s pharma sector turnover and has the highest number of US FDA approved plants in India, highest number of pharmaceutical units and houses the country’s leading pharmaceutical countries. The state’s knowledge hub and cultural capital, Pune, hosts The Serum Institute, one of the largest vaccine manufacturers in the world.

Biotechnology Policy

The state set its foundations in the sector long ago in 2001 by announcing its biotechnology policy, and setting up a biotechnology commission and announcing a slew of sops for the companies starting operations in the state. The measures that ware later emulated by many other states and union territories in India were aimed at establishing itself as a leader in the sector. Currently, the state leads the country in terms of policy and regulatory framework for the sector. The state has also set a model by creating conductive infrastructure required for operating state-of-the-art facilities such as integrated biotechnology parks like the TCG International Biotech Park in Pune which was jointly developed by Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and TCG Real Estate (TCGRE). The state is home to many institutions of international repute such as the National Institute of Virology, National Centre for Cell Science and National AIDS Research Institute, and so on.