Syllabus: Science and Technology – developments and their applications and effects in everyday life
Concept and Scope
- Futuristic biotechnology explores extreme environments like deep oceans and outer space for biological innovation.
- Marine biotechnology studies microorganisms, algae, and marine life for bioactive compounds and biomaterials.
- Marine organisms survive high pressure, salinity, low light, and nutrient-poor conditions, enabling unique biochemical properties.
- Space biotechnology examines biological behaviour under microgravity and radiation conditions.
- It focuses on microbes, plants, and human systems relevant for space missions.
Strategic Relevance for India
- India has a coastline exceeding 11,000 km and an EEZ over 2 million sq. km.
- Despite this, India’s global marine output share remains low, indicating untapped potential.
- Marine biomanufacturing can generate food, energy, chemicals, and biomaterials sustainably.
- It reduces dependence on land, freshwater, and agriculture-based systems.
- Space biotechnology supports India’s ambitions in human spaceflight and long-duration missions.
- Together, these sectors can position India as a global biomanufacturing leader.
Current Status in India
- India’s annual cultivated seaweed output is about 70,000 tonnes, indicating limited scale.
- The country imports agar, carrageenan, and alginates for food and pharmaceutical uses.
- Initiatives under Blue Economy, Deep Ocean Mission, and BioE3 aim to integrate value chains.
- Private players like Sea6 Energy and ClimaCrew are scaling marine biomass applications.
- ICAR–CMFRI and state-led platforms support marine biotechnology research and deployment.
- ISRO’s microgravity biology programme studies microbes, algae, food systems, and human health.
- Private-sector participation in space biotechnology remains limited due to early-stage technologies.
Global Approaches
- European Union supports marine bioprospecting and algae-based materials through shared infrastructure.
- China has expanded seaweed aquaculture and marine bioprocessing at scale.
- The United States, through NASA and ISS, leads in space biotechnology research.
Way Forward
- Marine and space biotechnology are strategic first-mover domains with long-term advantages.
- Fragmented and slow R&D remains the primary risk for India.
- A dedicated national roadmap with defined timelines and outcomes is essential.
