Securing government support
The government can accelerate the growth of smart protein in India through a unified approach of increased public funding, investing in skill development, and bolstering infrastructure and research development.
R&D funding
Increased public and private investments in research and development (R&D) for an emerging technology like smart protein will be critical. GFI India is collaborating with policymakers to announce dedicated funding calls and proposals for R&D, infrastructure enhancement, and entrepreneurial initiatives in the smart protein domain. Our work has also led to the incorporation of smart protein as a thematic area within existing funding programs related to allied fields of crop and plant research, animal biotechnology, stem cells, and regenerative medicine, as well as aquaculture and marine biotechnology. Some of the popular funding programmes availed by the sector include the BIRAC – Biotechnology Industry Partnership Programme (BIPP) and the BIRAC Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG).
Talent development
As the smart protein sector continues to develop in India, there will be a growing requirement for quality talent across the value chain. India already possesses one of the largest working-age populations that would benefit from skill development to emerge as the workforce of the Indian and global smart protein industry. Development and introduction of relevant course curricula as part of relevant certificate, diploma, and degree programs (at different levels of our educational system) would create a pool of experts. Government interventions by agencies like the Department of Higher Education and AICTE remain crucial for talent development to ensure that training is available nationwide and at different levels.
You can read more about GFI India’s talent development initiatives, such as the India Smart Protein Innovation Challenge (ISPIC), our work with research institutes across India, and the achievements in defining job roles for the sector in this blog.
Equipment manufacturing
The affordability and availability of equipment used in the manufacturing of smart proteins, such as high-moisture extruders and bioreactors, among others, will be prerequisites to help boost the smart protein industry and help it achieve scale. The Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative has brought focus to the capital goods sector. India has a history of successful partnerships with global technology leaders in sectors like automobile manufacturing and information technology services. Indian counterparts forged strong international collaborations for technology transfers, after which the technology was adapted to suit Indian market requirements. Equipment and machinery for manufacturing smart protein products may become a significant export area as countries look to expand their bio-manufacturing capabilities and value-addition to agricultural produce.
Promoting the export of Indian ingredients and products
India’s vibrant food processing, biotechnology, and bioprocessing sectors can provide inputs and ingredients for smart protein products globally. To seize this opportunity, improved, economical, value-added processing and manufacturing capabilities are necessary while ensuring world-class quality and safety.
Table 1: Export market potential for India
| Low Growth | Medium Growth | High Growth | |
| Export Potential (₹ Cr) | Total | Total | Total |
| Plant-based meat | 2,194 | 4,722 | 6,824 |
| Plant-based dairy | 459 | 1,208 | 1,889 |
| Plant-based egg | 266 | 432 | 631 |
| Fermentation-derived | 351 | 604 | 819 |
| Cultivated meat | 1,312 | 2,415 | 4,158 |
With increased research in areas such as crop optimisation for end-use applications and efforts to scale up the production of functional ingredients via precision fermentation for cultivated meat, among others, Indian products can serve the growing demand for high-quality, low-cost inputs in the next few years.
