New Delhi, September 13: India has emerged as the world’s largest vaccine producer and a major global supplier by volume, while its diverse disease landscape and expanding scientific capabilities provide a strong foundation for vaccine research, epidemic preparedness and biomedical innovation, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said on Sunday.
Speaking at a high-level reception for the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) Board and Investors Council in New Delhi, Dr Singh said India has moved far beyond the limitations of a decade ago and built a vibrant bioeconomy, advanced vaccine capabilities and a scientific ecosystem capable of contributing to global preparedness for future epidemics and pandemics.
The event was jointly hosted by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and CEPI and brought together policymakers, scientists, industry representatives and other stakeholders involved in vaccine development and epidemic preparedness.
Dr Singh said India, a founding member and long-standing strategic partner of CEPI, has transformed significantly in biotechnology over the past decade. The country’s capabilities now extend beyond vaccine manufacturing to advanced vaccine technologies, complex biological products, research, clinical development and large-scale production.
India’s bioeconomy reached USD 195.3 billion in 2025, registering 18 per cent year-on-year growth, while its biotechnology startup ecosystem expanded to 11,855 startups, including 1,780 new ventures added during 2025. The biopharma sector accounts for nearly 30 per cent of the country’s bioeconomy.
Highlighting India’s global vaccine footprint, the Minister said the country supplies vaccines to more than 100 countries, accounts for nearly 60 per cent of global vaccine production and meets over 65 per cent of WHO’s routine immunisation requirements.
Recalling the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Singh said India developed vaccines in a remarkably short period and supplied them to other countries, significantly strengthening the global perception of India’s scientific and technological capabilities.
He said India’s diverse disease landscape presents both a challenge and a scientific opportunity, providing researchers with a unique environment to study pathogens, disease patterns and interactions between infectious and non-communicable diseases.
Dr Singh also highlighted the DBT-BIRAC-CEPI partnership, which aims to strengthen India’s preparedness for future epidemics and advance vaccine research for emerging infectious diseases. The partnership was renewed in September 2025 for another five years.
Under the India-centric Ind-CEPI Mission, several key initiatives have been developed, including GEMCOVAC-19, India’s first mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, a Chikungunya vaccine candidate undergoing Phase II/III trials, and vaccine candidates targeting Monkeypox and pan-sarbecoviruses.
The Minister said the next phase of cooperation should focus on translating India’s scientific strengths into greater global health impact through pan-pathogen vaccines, advanced biomanufacturing and stronger national and international research networks.
He called for closer collaboration among the government, academia, industry and international partners to turn scientific capabilities into deployable solutions and strengthen global health security.
