Abstract

India has emerged as one of the leading countries in the world in promoting local R&D in agricultural biotechnology in general and GM crops in particular. Further, it has by now a fairly long experience in the functioning of comprehensive biotechnology and biosafety regimes that regulate the introduction and commercialization of GM crops and GM products. It is against this backdrop that a critical analysis of the Indian effort and its outcome would be of considerable value. Work on the GM-categories began in the late 1980s. Although many public sector R&D institutions have been actively involved in developing a core of GM-crops, with huge government support, none of these crops have yet reached the market. Private sector involvement, spearheaded by TNC joint ventures and subsidiaries, began in the mid-1990s as part of the New Economic Policy (1991) of the Government of India. In 1995, India became signatory to the WTO agreements. The Indian regulatory authorities have approved the general release and marketing of only one GM-crop, viz. GM-cotton varieties resistant to bollworm attack developed by the private sector. In this context, it is significant to understand not only the socio-economic, politico-cultural, ethical, legal, institutional and ideological factors which contribute to the transition in the methods of agricultural production in India but also the responses of civil society organizations in India to such transition.