HM Amit Shah Lays Foundation of India’s Second BSL-4 Lab in Gujarat
Gandhinagar facility to end foreign dependence for virus testing, strengthen national bio-security
- ₹362-crore BSL-4 Bio-Containment Facility launched in Gandhinagar
- First such high-security lab being built by a state government
- Facility to enable research on deadly viruses and zoonotic diseases
- Shah calls Antimicrobial Resistance a “silent disaster”
GG News Bureau
Gandhinagar, 13th Jan: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Tuesday laid the foundation stone of the BSL-4 Bio-Containment Facility at the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC) in Gandhinagar, marking a major leap in India’s bio-security and health preparedness.
Addressing the gathering, Shah said the new lab would usher in a “new era of bio-safety in the country” and significantly strengthen India’s ability to research and respond to highly infectious and deadly viruses. The facility, being built at a cost of ₹362 crore over 11,000 square metres, will be India’s second BSL-4 laboratory after the National Institute of Virology, Pune, and the first such high-security lab to be developed by a state government.
He said the centre would end India’s dependence on foreign countries for testing samples of dangerous viruses, making diagnostics faster and more self-reliant. The lab will also provide world-class facilities to study zoonotic diseases that spread from animals to humans under the government’s One Health Mission.
Highlighting India’s rapid growth in the bio-economy, Shah said the sector has expanded from USD 10 billion in 2014 to USD 166 billion in 2024, while biotech startups have surged from under 500 to over 10,000. He noted that India now produces nearly 60 per cent of the world’s vaccines, calling the youth “job creators, not job seekers.”
The Home Minister also flagged Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) as a “silent disaster” and stressed the need for a clear roadmap, timely treatment and widespread public awareness to safeguard future generations.
Linking heritage with progress, Shah said science and tradition can move together, citing the Somnath Swabhimaan Parv and the launch of the BSL-4 lab as examples of how India balances innovation with cultural pride.
The event was attended by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, senior officials and scientists.
