{"id":47162,"date":"2025-07-07T20:04:44","date_gmt":"2025-07-07T14:34:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=47162"},"modified":"2025-07-11T19:54:13","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T14:24:13","slug":"indian-agriculture-and-genetic-innovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/07-07-2025\/indian-agriculture-and-genetic-innovation","title":{"rendered":"Indian Agriculture &amp; Genetic Innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Agriculture<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>As the<strong> trade deadline approaches<\/strong>, the USA is ramping up pressure on India to open its agriculture market to<strong> genetically modified (GM) crops.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>However, India has drawn<strong> firm red lines,<\/strong> citing <strong>farmers\u2019 livelihoods and food safety<\/strong> as non-negotiable.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>India\u2019s Red Lines in Trade Talks With USA<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>Dairy Sector:<\/strong> India is unwilling to open its dairy market to U.S. imports, citing the need to protect millions of small-scale dairy farmers.<br>&#8211; <strong>Genetically Modified (GM) Crops:<\/strong> India restricts the import of GM maize and soyabean, which dominate US agriculture. The US push for access to these markets has met resistance.<br>&#8211; <strong>Ethanol Imports:<\/strong> Proposals to allow GM maize imports for ethanol production have sparked concern among domestic sugar mills and maize producers.<br>&#8211; <strong>Tariff Protections:<\/strong> India maintains high tariffs on sensitive farm products and is resisting US pressure to reduce them, especially on corn, soyabean, and dairy items.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>India\u2019s Agriculture &amp; Genetic Innovation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Genetic innovation in agriculture refers to the use of tools like CRISPR gene editing, genomic selection, and transgenic technologies to improve crop traits. These include:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Enhancing crop yields and nutritional content;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Increasing resistance to pests, diseases, drought and heat;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reducing dependency on chemical pesticides and fertilizers;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shortening crop cycles and making agriculture more climate-resilient;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Global Expansion of GM Crops<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>GM crops have seen massive adoption, since their global debut in 1996.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By <strong>2023<\/strong>, over <strong>200 million hectares<\/strong> of GM soy, maize, canola, and others were cultivated across <strong>76 countries<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Many of India\u2019s trading partners \u2014 including the US, Brazil, and China \u2014 have fully embraced GM agriculture.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Bt Cotton: India\u2019s Only GM Crop<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Bt cotton<\/strong> was approved in <strong>2002 by India<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Its production had grown by <strong>193%<\/strong>, and productivity rose by <strong>87%<\/strong>, by 2013\u201314.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India became the <strong>second-largest producer and exporter<\/strong> of cotton globally, with net exports touching <strong>$4.1 billion<\/strong> in 2011\u201312.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bt cotton seeds are <strong>now used across 90%+<\/strong> of India\u2019s cotton area.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cottonseed oil, a by-product, enters the human food chain, while the cotton cake feeds cattle.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Related Efforts Made By India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>From the Lab to the Field: <\/strong>CRISPR-edited rice lines with improved nitrogen use efficiency and yield, developed by ICAR scientists in Delhi.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Genome-edited <strong>chickpea variety \u2018Saatvik (NC9)\u2019<\/strong>, which performs better under drought stress.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>RNA-based antivirals to protect crops like banana and cucumber from devastating viruses, offering a pesticide-free solution.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Miniature genome editors like TnpB<\/strong>, developed by ICAR, are small enough to work efficiently in plant cells\u2014especially useful for crops like rice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>From Gene Banks to Global Partnerships: India\u2019s first National Gene Bank<\/strong>, established by ICAR-NBPGR, safeguards genetic diversity for future breeding.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A regional center of the <strong>International Potato Center (CIP)<\/strong> is being <strong>set up in Agra <\/strong>to develop climate-resilient, high-yield potato varieties.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>Amaranth Genomic Resource Database<\/strong> helps identify varieties that combat obesity and malnutrition.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Concerns &amp; Challenges<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Stagnation and Policy Failure<\/strong>: India\u2019s cotton yields fell from <strong>566 kg\/ha<\/strong> in 2013\u201314 to <strong>436 kg\/ha<\/strong> in 2023\u201324\u2014far below the global average (<strong>770 kg\/ha<\/strong>) and significantly lower than <strong>China (1,945 kg\/ha)<\/strong> and <strong>Brazil (1,839 kg\/ha)<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Annual cotton production has declined by about <strong>2%<\/strong>, driven by pest outbreaks and policy barriers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Illegal HT-Bt Cotton: Herbicide-Tolerant (HT) Bt cotton<\/strong>, which allows <strong>glyphosate spraying<\/strong>, has not been cleared for official use.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>However, these seeds have <strong>illegally spread across states<\/strong> like Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Telangana.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Estimates suggest <strong>15\u201325%<\/strong> of cotton acreage now uses <strong>unauthorised HT-Bt seeds<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Regulatory Bottlenecks: <\/strong>Government interventions since 2015 have <strong>disincentivized R&amp;D<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Seed Price Control Order (SPCO)<\/strong> capped royalties and trait fees, reducing them to <strong>Rs 39 per seed packet by 2018<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>By 2020, stricter caps and forced technology transfers drove away <strong>global biotech investors<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It turns India into a <strong>net cotton importer<\/strong> worth <strong>$0.4 billion in 2024\u201325<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India\u2019s regulatory paralysis also affects other GM innovations:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Bt Brinjal<\/strong>, cleared by the <strong>GEAC<\/strong>, has faced a moratorium since 2009.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>GM Mustard (DMH-11)<\/strong> received environmental clearance in 2022, but <strong>commercialization is stalled<\/strong> pending more studies and possible court rulings.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>GM soy and corn<\/strong>, widely used elsewhere, remain off the table despite earlier imports for poultry feed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Policy Paralysis: <\/strong>India\u2019s regulatory framework has discouraged biotech innovation:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Seed Price Control Order (2015)<\/strong> drastically cut royalties on GM traits;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>2016 regulations<\/strong> mandated forced technology transfers and royalty caps;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By <strong>2020<\/strong>, even tighter restrictions were imposed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Other Concerns<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Loss of Crop Diversity:<\/strong> As farmers adopt high-performing genetically modified (GM) varieties, traditional and locally adapted crops may be abandoned, reducing biodiversity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Seed Dependency: <\/strong>Some GM seeds are patented, meaning farmers may need to purchase new seeds each season, increasing reliance on biotech companies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Access Inequality:<\/strong> Smallholder and marginal farmers may face barriers to accessing advanced genetic technologies due to cost, awareness, or infrastructure gaps.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Regulatory and Ethical Issues:<\/strong> Concerns around biosafety, labeling, and long-term ecological effects can create uncertainty and resistance among farming communities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>India\u2019s Balancing Act<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC)<\/strong> plays a pivotal role in <strong>approving and regulating<\/strong> genetically engineered organisms.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It has cleared some crops for field trials \u2014 like GM mustard \u2014 however, wider commercial adoption remains sluggish.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The government\u2019s regulatory framework, including the <strong>Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM)<\/strong>, plays a key role in ensuring biosafety and ethical deployment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Public and Private Collaboration:<\/strong> Public sector research institutions like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR);\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Private sector biotech firms bringing in cutting-edge tech;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Farmers, who must be educated and empowered to adopt new practices;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Forward: Need for Science-Led Agricultural Reform<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India\u2019s Prime Minister\u2019s<strong> \u2018Jai Anusandhan\u2019 (Hail Innovation)<\/strong> and a <strong>Rs 1 lakh crore RDI fund<\/strong> are welcome steps \u2014 but <strong>innovation must move from lab to land.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee envisioned, <em>\u2018<\/em><strong><em>What IT is for India, BT can be for Bharat\u2019.<\/em><\/strong> The potential for biotechnology to transform <strong>rural prosperity<\/strong> is immense.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Key steps include:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Approval and regulation<\/strong> of HT-Bt cotton, Bt brinjal, and GM mustard;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reform of seed pricing and licensing policies<\/strong> to incentivise innovation;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Public engagement<\/strong> to build trust in GM safety and benefits.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Daily Mains Practice Question<\/strong><br><strong>[Q]<\/strong> To what extent can the integration of genetic technology transform the future of Indian agriculture, and what socio-economic concerns might arise from its widespread adoption?<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/opinion\/columns\/indian-agricultures-prospects-depend-on-innovating-and-adopting-genetic-tech-10110479\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Source: IE<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/UPSC-Editorial-Analysis-7-July-2025.pdf\">Download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As the trade deadline approaches, the USA is ramping up pressure on India to open its agriculture market to genetically modified (GM) crops.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial-analysis"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47162","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47162"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47162\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47199,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47162\/revisions\/47199"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47162"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47162"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47162"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}