TRANSGENIC CROPS IN INDIA

1. Context 

2. Transgenic Crops in India

• India has a long history of research in transgenic crops, but the commercialization of these crops has been slow.
• To date, only one transgenic crop, Bt cotton, is being commercially cultivated in India.
• In 2022, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), the apex technical body charged with evaluating proposals for testing genetically modified (GM) seeds, approved the environmental release of Mustard Hybrid DMH-11 and its parental lines. This is one step away from full commercial cultivation.
• However, the GEAC approval does not guarantee that DMH-11 will be commercially cultivated.
• There is long-standing litigation in the Supreme Court on the permissibility of allowing transgenic food crops in farmer fields.
• The petitioners in this case argue that GM crops are unsafe for human consumption and that they could harm the environment.
• The Supreme Court has not yet ruled on this case, so the future of GM crops in India is uncertain.
• The GEAC approval for DMH-11 is a positive step for the development of GM crops in India.

3. The status of transgenic crops in India

• Only one transgenic crop, Bt cotton, is currently being commercially cultivated in India.
• The GEAC has approved the environmental release of Mustard hybrid DMH-11, but this does not guarantee that it will be commercially cultivated.
• There is long-standing litigation in the Supreme Court on the permissibility of allowing transgenic food crops in farmer fields.
• The future of GM crops in India is uncertain, but the GEAC approval for DMH-11 is a positive step.

4. Regulating Transgenic Crops in India

• The process of regulating transgenic crops in India involves multiple safety assessments by committees before they are cleared for further tests in open plots of land.
• These trials take place at agricultural universities or plots controlled by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).
• Transgenic plants must demonstrate superiority over non-GM variants in specific parameters, such as drought tolerance or insect resistance, without causing harm to other cultivated species in the vicinity.
• Open field trials are conducted across different crop seasons and geographical conditions to assess suitability in different states.

5. State Responses to GEAC

• Recommendations Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Telangana have rebuffed recommendations by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), the apex technical body for evaluating GM seeds.
• The Cry2Ai cotton seed, developed by Bioseed Research India to resist pink bollworms, was recommended for field testing in Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Haryana.
• While Haryana granted permission, Telangana declined trials for the current cropping season, and Gujarat rejected the proposal without providing reasons.

6. Efforts to Address State Approval Challenges

• In response to the differing attitudes of states towards GM crops, the GEAC is considering a proposal by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) to declare certain regions as "notified testing sites."
• There are 42 proposed sites across India, and if approved, companies conducting trials at these locations would not require state permissions.
• This initiative aims to streamline the regulatory process and address challenges associated with state approvals.

7. Criticisms and Future Changes

• Activist groups have raised objections to the GEAC's request for reasons from states regarding disapproval of testing, perceiving it as biased lobbying.
• To address these concerns, the GEAC has requested the DBT and ICAR to organize capacity-building activities to inform state governments about the technology and regulatory framework related to GM crops.
• The regulation of transgenic crops in India involves rigorous safety assessments, open field trials, and state approvals.
• Efforts are being made to establish notified testing sites and enhance communication between regulatory bodies and state governments to facilitate the evaluation of GM crops.