Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, released the Genome India Data archived at the Indian Biological Data Centre (IBDC), making 10,000 whole genome samples accessible to researchers across India and the globe. At the Genome India Data Conclave, held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, on 9 January 2024, Dr Singh also launched the ‘Framework for Exchange of Data Protocols (FeED)’ and the Indian Biological Data Centre (IBDC) Portals.

Addressing the Conclave via video message, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the scientific community on this achievement and laid out a roadmap for India’s future in genomics and remarked: “Genome India Project is an important milestone in the biotechnology revolution”. He noted that this project has successfully created a diverse genetic resource by sequencing the genomes of 10,000 individuals from various populations.

The Prime Minister noted that this data will now be available to scientists and researchers, aiding scholars in understanding India’s genetic landscape which will greatly assist in policy-making and planning for the country. This initiative will also develop an ecosystem which would act as Knowledge hub and Innovation Hub and contribute to make Viksit Bharat @2047, he stated.

Addressing the Conclave, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that India developing its own genomic data set is a monumental achievement that will fuel future medical and scientific breakthroughs. Noting that the 10,000 whole genome sequencing (WGS) samples come from diverse Indian populations and provide a rich catalog of genetic variations, the Union Minister said that this initiative is set to position India as a leader in genomics, enabling the development of genomic chips tailored to the Indian demographic, thereby enhancing the precision of genetic studies.