Assam to Establish Bio-Manufacturing and Bio-AI Hubs Under BioE3 Policy

Assam is set to establish a Bio-Manufacturing Hub and a Bio-Artificial Intelligence Hub to promote bio-manufacturing and skill development in the biotechnology sector. Assam Science, Technology, and Climate Change Minister Keshab Mahanta made this announcement during the Advantage Assam 2.0 summit held at the Veterinary College field, Khanapara, Guwahati.

Speaking at the special session on "Bio-manufacturing and Bio-foundries: Leveraging BioE3 Policy for Assam's Roadmap," Minister Mahanta emphasized that biotechnology could play a key role in Assam's green economy. He stated, "The Government of Assam is now focusing on the biotechnology sector as the state's roadmap towards development. We are going to implement the BioE3 Policy to boost the sector in the state. Assam will be the first state in the country to implement this policy."

The Minister also highlighted that under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, the state has already notified a BioE3 Cell to coordinate policy activities. Inviting entrepreneurs and startups, he assured that Assam’s existing Biotechnology Policy (2022-23), Startup Policy, and State Industrial Policy are highly investor-friendly. The state government has identified five major thrust areas for bio-manufacturing:

• Biodiversity-Based Innovation
• Futuristic Fresh Water
• Food Biotechnology
• Space Technology Application
• Fragrance and Aroma Biotechnology

Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Alka Sharma, Senior Advisor, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, applauded Assam for pioneering the BioE3 Policy. She stated that the BioE3 Cell would create a structured ecosystem benefiting startups, researchers, and academia in the biotechnology sector.

The session featured an expert panel discussion moderated by Dr. Swapnil Sinha, CEO of BioNEST, IIT Guwahati. Panelists included:

• Dr. Manish Diwan, Head - Bio-foundry, BIRAC, Government of India
• Rajiv Gandhi, Founder & CEO, Hester Bio-sciences Ltd.
• Krishnan G.S., President, ABLE
• Subramani Ramachandrappa, Founder, FermBox

Hester Bio-sciences founder Rajiv Gandhi praised Assam's clean environment and water quality, calling it an ideal location for biotechnology development. FermBox founder Ramachandrappa and ABLE President Krishnan G.S. expressed optimism that Assam’s BioE3 Policy would accelerate biotech startup growth. Dr. Manish Diwan highlighted the global shift towards bio-economy-driven GDP comparisons.

Prior to the session, Assam signed MoUs worth over ₹95 crore with 15 organizations, including 13 financial and two technical MoUs.

Also Read: Advantage Assam 2.0: Key Takeaways from ‘Health Horizons’ Session on Healthcare Transformation