An Indian state has unveiled plans to attract £9.5 billion in life sciences investment by the decade's end whilst creating half a million jobs, positioning itself as a rival to established biotechnology centres.
Telangana's minister for IT and industries, Sridhar Babu, outlined the "Roadmap 2030" strategy at the AusBiotech International Conference in Melbourne this week, detailing ambitions to transform the state into a globally significant life sciences innovation hub.
The southern Indian region has secured £30.4 billion in fresh investment over the past 20 months, with life sciences accounting for £6 billion of that total. Sector exports reached £2.5 billion between April and December last year alone.
State authorities now aim to expand the life sciences economy from $80 billion to $250 billion by 2030, requiring substantial infrastructure development and workforce training. Life sciences office space in state capital Hyderabad has already quadrupled from 0.6 million square feet in 2022 to 2.4 million square feet last year, indicating strong sector momentum.
Central to Telangana's strategy is developing what officials term a "bio-digital workforce" combining biotechnology expertise with artificial intelligence and healthcare knowledge. Two state-backed institutions—the Life Sciences University and Young India Skills University—will train personnel, whilst partnership with the World Economic Forum's Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution aims to align skills development with international standards.
"Telangana's strength lies in its innovation ecosystem. Our slogan is not merely Make in India, but Invent in Telangana," Babu stated, referencing the national manufacturing initiative whilst emphasising research capabilities.
The minister highlighted existing infrastructure including Genome Valley—a biotechnology park—alongside medical devices manufacturing facilities, innovation hubs and industrial estates offering ready-to-occupy space as advantages for potential investors.
Babu specifically courted Australian firms, identifying cell and gene therapy, biologics, mRNA vaccine production, contract research and manufacturing, diagnostics, medical technology and digital health as priority sectors. He also flagged opportunities in AI-assisted drug discovery, genomics, sustainable biomanufacturing and agricultural biotechnology.
The pitch comes as Indian states compete to attract technology investment, with several regions offering tax incentives, streamlined approvals and infrastructure support to woo multinational corporations and startups alike. Telangana faces competition from neighbouring Karnataka, home to technology hub Bengaluru, as well as Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.
India's life sciences sector has grown substantially over recent decades, with the country becoming a significant manufacturer of generic pharmaceuticals and vaccines whilst gradually building research capabilities. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated vaccine manufacturing capacity, with Indian firms producing billions of doses for domestic use and export.
Telangana's ambitions reflect broader Indian government priorities around advanced manufacturing and research-intensive industries as the country seeks to move beyond cost-competitive production toward higher-value activities.
Babu proposed establishing a "Victoria–Telangana Innovation Corridor" linking the Indian state with Australia's second-most populous region, which hosts substantial pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors around Melbourne.
Whether Telangana can achieve its £9.5 billion investment target within five years remains uncertain, depending on global investment flows, regulatory environment and competition from both domestic and international locations vying for life sciences capital.
