New Delhi, March 21
Union Minister of State (independent charge) for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh met with Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates to discuss collaborations on biotech startups and health innovations in India, Ministry of Science & Technology said on Thursday.

The discussions with Gates, currently on an India visit, covered advancement in gene therapy, vaccine innovation, biotechnology manufacturing, and India's evolving startup ecosystem.

“Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has witnessed a surge in biotech innovations, supported by policies like Bio E3--biotechnology for the economy, employment, and environment,” said Singh.

He also highlighted the growing role of private players and startups in driving India’s bio-revolution, with structured mechanisms like the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) fostering collaborations.

Lauding India's biotech advancements, Gates also “acknowledge its leadership in vaccine development, including partnerships that led to the HPV and Covid-19 vaccines”, the ministry said.

“India’s research ecosystem presents immense opportunities for global health breakthroughs,” Gates said, while also expressing interest in supporting India’s efforts in tackling diseases like tuberculosis and malaria.

Further, Singh said that more than 10,000 startups are now operating in the biotechnology sector. Of these “70 per cent are focused on medical and health biotech, with the rest contributing to agriculture, environment, and industrial biotechnology”.

He underlined the government's commitment to scaling up these innovations, with increased funding and policy measures aimed at enabling faster commercialisation.

Gates and Singh also explored opportunities for direct investments in Indian biotech startups through Gift City -- a financial hub designed to facilitate global investments.

Gates noted that while the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation primarily operates in the philanthropic space, leveraging new financial structures could enable direct investments into promising Indian startups.

Even as India accelerates its biotechnology growth, Singh reaffirmed the government’s focus on fostering public-private partnerships to ensure that the sector continues to thrive.

“With increased research and development funding and international collaborations, India is poised to become a global hub for biotechnology innovation,” Singh said.

Jitendra Singh, Bill Gates discuss biotech startups, health innovation in India