India builds foundation for next-gen drug discovery with focus on basic research and precision medicine

New Delhi: India is strengthening its shift from generic manufacturing to high-value drug innovation, backed by new policy support and targeted funding for basic research and patient data.

Recognizing that fundamental research is the “silent engine” of modern medicine, the Government of India has launched the National Policy on Research and Development in 2023 and the Rs 5,000 crore Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma-MedTech Sector (PRIP) scheme. These initiatives aim to deepen understanding of disease biology, a critical first step before designing new pills or therapeutic technologies.

The push is especially relevant for rare genetic disorders, where a clear roadmap to a cure is often missing. To close that gap, India is expanding support for local basic research and the generation of patient data from Indian populations, ensuring future treatments are tailored to the country’s unique genetic and health profiles.

Building on this, the government modernised clinical trial rules and launched the Bio-E3 Policy in 2024. Together, the policies are creating a self-reliant ecosystem for cutting-edge drug discovery and precision medicine.

Experts Alok Bhattacharya and Gayatri Saberwal note that policy and funding support for basic research and patient data generation is the key to ensuring the next generation of precision medicine is designed and manufactured in India.

With these steps, India is laying the groundwork to move up the pharma value chain, from producing medicines to inventing them, while aligning research with the biology of its own population.