What India Can Learn from China’s Biotech Blueprint
September 2, 2026
For decades, India has been known as the ‘pharmacy of the world’. The country built a global reputation for producing affordable medicines, generic drugs, and biosimilars at scale. China, meanwhile, took a different path. Through sustained government investment, regulatory reform, and a deliberate strategy to build domestic innovation, China has rapidly closed the gap with established biotech leaders in the US and Europe. The question for India now is whether it can do the same.
How India and China Took Different Roads
India and China began investing in biotechnology at almost the same time. India constituted the National Biotechnology Board in 1982 and established the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) in 1986, making it one of the first countries in the world to create a dedicated government department for the sector.
On the other side, China launched the 863 Program (officially known as the State High-Tech Development Plan) in the same year, identifying biotechnology as one of the several strategic areas for national high-tech development.
Four decades later, the outcomes looked very different. India built a globally competitive pharmaceutical industry by focusing on affordable medicines for the world. It produced a manufacturing base that supplies roughly 20% of global generic medicines. China invested systematically in original research, novel biology, and the infrastructure required to discover and develop new therapies.
What China Actually Did
The story of China’s biotech rise is often framed as a story of extensive government funding, which is not entirely true. The country did not simply invest in research. It spent decades building talent, regulation, infrastructure, capital markets, and scientific institutions while maintaining a long-term commitment to biotechnology as a strategic priority. It created biomed hubs in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Suzhou and placed world-class scientific infrastructure there.
To solve brain drain, China runs projects like the QM Talent Project to attract high-scientific, technological, and entrepreneurial talent from overseas. It offers financial subsidies ranging from 1 million to over 3 million RMB, research funding, competitive compensation, housing and perks, and immigration privileges.
The country also modernised its regulatory authority so that developers received faster, more substantive scientific feedback. And it enables academic hospitals to participate in early-stage human research, creating a direct pipeline between scientific discovery and clinical testing.
Where India’s Gap Actually Lives
India’s strengths are real and should not be understated. Strong manufacturing capability. A large scientific talent base. Deep experience in cost-efficient production. A growing startup ecosystem. These are genuine advantages that most countries would want.
But cell and gene therapy development requires capabilities that go beyond manufacturing excellence. It requires advanced research infrastructure, long-term investment, specialised scientific expertise, supportive regulations, and systems that help patients access treatment once it reaches the market.
Although India is building many of these pieces, there are certain challenges, such as dependence on imports. Today, most of the reagents and consumables used in cell and gene therapy development come from outside India. This increases cost and creates dependence on global supply chains.
There is also a talent gap. India has excellent scientists and clinicians, but advanced therapies require highly specialised experience, which is still limited. Funding is another hurdle. These therapies take time to develop and need sustained investment before they reach patients. Most investment in cell and gene therapy in India is private, with limited government support.
Drug approvals are improving in India. What once took 500 days has now come down to around 150 days under the Biopharma Shakti programme. Approval systems are also becoming more digital and better aligned with global standards. The next step is to build deeper scientific expertise within the regulatory system so that advanced therapies can be evaluated more efficiently while maintaining safety and quality.
The Affordability Challenge
India has always focused on making healthcare affordable, which has delivered enormous benefits. However, in the field of cell and gene therapy, affordability alone cannot be the only consideration.
In the United States, CAR-T therapy typically costs between $300,000 and $500,000. In India, similar therapies are available for approximately $50,000 to $70,000, or about ₹25-30 lakh. This is a significant achievement, and it reflects India’s ability to reduce costs while maintaining treatment quality.
However, even ₹25-30 lakh remains unaffordable for most Indian patients. Innovation becomes difficult when costs are driven down beyond sustainable levels. Instead, India needs systems that spread the cost of innovation across the healthcare system.
This may require three key changes. First, developers must continue to prioritise affordability while designing new therapies. Second, funding mechanisms should reduce the financial burden associated with long-term research and development. Third, insurance providers must include advanced therapies in their coverage policies.
Building a Global Biotech Ecosystem
India’s biotech future should be built for the world, not just for the domestic market. While therapies designed specifically for Indian patients may seem like the most patient-focused approach, limiting innovation to local markets can restrict growth and global competitiveness. India’s real advantage lies in combining affordability with high-quality science, strong manufacturing capabilities, and globally accepted regulatory standards. A CAR-T therapy that meets FDA and EMA requirements while costing around $70,000 could improve access not only in India but across many middle-income countries where such treatments remain out of reach.
Turning this vision into reality will require sustained investment and execution. Recent initiatives such as the Biopharma SHAKTI scheme and the BioE3 policy signal growing government commitment, but funding alone will not be enough. India must attract experienced researchers, build world-class innovation clusters, strengthen regulatory expertise, and support long-term research through merit-based funding. Most importantly, it must maintain global standards rather than creating products designed only for the domestic market.
India already has many of the ingredients needed to succeed: scientific talent, manufacturing strength and policy intent. The challenge now is to align these strengths behind a long-term strategy and sustain that commitment long enough to create a globally competitive biotech ecosystem.
If you would like to hear these perspectives directly from someone who has worked across medicine, biotech, startups, and policy, The Cure Circle’s conversation with Dr. Arun is worth your time. He reflects on what it will take for India to build a globally competitive cell and gene therapy ecosystem, the lessons India can learn from China’s biotech rise, and why affordability, regulation, talent, and reimbursement must evolve together for innovation to succeed.
References:
- https://pharmaboardroom.com/facts/pharma-manufacturing-and-rd-in-china-and-india-a-comparison/
- https://www.lifescienceleader.com/doc/comparing-china-s-and-india-s-pharmaceutical-manufacturing-0001
- https://www.raconteur.net/global-business/china-vs-india-the-fight-for-pharma-supremacy
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/india-can-overtake-china-in-drug-discovery-biocon-chief/articleshow/118429033.cms
- https://manufacturing.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/life-sciences/biopharma-shakti-india-targets-china-dependence-patent-cliff/127922380
- https://pharma.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/pharma-industry/india-must-build-talent-capital-and-regulatory-muscle-to-match-chinas-pharma-playbook-experts/128603209
- https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/healthcare/biotech/pharmaceuticals/drug-regulator-halves-approval-timelines-eases-several-rules/articleshow/130244568.cms?from=mdr
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The Cure Circle explores regenerative medicine and Cell and Gene Therapy, sharing stories of scientists, clinicians, and innovators driving breakthroughs where science, courage, and humanity converge.
