USDA FAS has issued a report which discusses India's biotechnology sector, including new guidelines and protocols for conducting confined field trials and safety assessments of foods derived from biotech plants.

Organization: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)

Summary: Report Highlights:
In November 2007, the Government of India released the National Biotech Development Strategy that suggests establishment of a National Biotech Regulatory Authority. Recently, the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) approved new guidelines and protocols for conducting confined field trials and safety assessments of foods derived from biotech plants. The GEAC has also granted approval for a new Bt event that has been introduced for the first time in a varietal background.
Area coverage under Bt cotton, the only commercially approved biotech crop, has surged to over 80 percent of total cotton area in the last six years. All sections of this report were updated on 7/15/08.

Source: GAIN Report Number: IN8077

Date Released: 2008-08-05

Web site: The report is at
http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200808/146295379.doc

Contact: Santosh K. Singh, Santosh.Singh@usda.gov