Knowledge Production in Biotechnology in India

The 21st century marks a significant change to the context in which knowledge is produced. The new institutional arrangements that seek to protect knowledge and its applications - and the possible global networking of organizations and global flows of knowledge - have changed the context of knowledge production. Some developing countries like India have built impressive research and development (R&D) institutions in the latter half of the 20th century, attempting to seize opportunities in the new context of R&D. There has been a changed culture of innovation in India after the product patent regime was adopted by the Government of India (Gol) in January 2005. Two case studies in the area of the pharmaceutical biotechnology and agricultural biotechnology help illustrate the networking of R&D organizations for innovation in India. These developments also raise larger questions relating to equity in access to innovations in India.