Why is it in the news?
→ India strengthened focus on marine and space biotechnology under the Blue Economy framework, Deep Ocean Mission, and BioE3 initiative.
→ Aimed at reducing import dependence and building next-generation biomanufacturing.
Category: S&T
Important Points
- Marine biotechnology uses microorganisms, algae, and ocean life for bioactive compounds, enzymes, biomaterials, and food ingredients.
- India’s cultivated marine biomass is ~70,000 tonnes annually; continues to import agar, carrageenan, and alginates.
- India has coastline over 11,000 km and EEZ exceeding 2 million sq km.
- Deep Ocean Mission promotes deep-sea exploration and marine bioprospecting.
- BioE3 focuses on Economy, Environment, and Employment through biomanufacturing.
- Key actors include ICAR-CMFRI and private firms like Sea6 Energy.
- Space biotechnology studies biological systems under microgravity and radiation.
- ISRO conducts microgravity experiments on microbes and algae for long-duration human spaceflight.
- Applications include space food production, life-support regeneration, and astronaut health management.