DBT inks pact with Uttar Pradesh to boost biotech, pharma and medtech innovation

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An official Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt of India and the Government of Uttar Pradesh. The agreement, executed through DBT’s Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and the Uttar Pradesh Promote Pharma Council (UPPPC) is part of a centre–state partnership model to accelerate innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment in the pharma, biotech, and medtech sectors.

Currently there are around 800 Medical Device manufacturers in the country and India's annual growth of the medtech sector is 15 to 20%, said Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology.

Officials said the collaboration will focus on advancing research and innovation, building a stronger ecosystem for startups, enhancing skill development and knowledge exchange, fostering closer industry linkages with SMEs and MSMEs, and catalysing greater investment in the sector.

DBT Secretary and BIRAC Chairman Dr Rajesh S. Gokhale said the agreement with Uttar Pradesh would “unlock innovation pipelines and scale up affordable technologies.” Senior state government officials underlined their commitment to positioning the state as a hub for pharma, biotech, and medtech, pointing to projects such as the Biotech Park in Lucknow, the Medical Device Park in Greater Noida, and the Bulk Drug & Pharma Park in Lalitpur.