Regulation of genetically modified organisms in India and the influence of Cartagena protocol on its biosafety framework

Abstract

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are the products of modern-day biotechnology techniques. One prominent example which highlights just how popular GMOs have become, is that of genetically engineered (GE) plants. As per the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) report for the year 2019, 190.4 million hectares of land across 29 different countries is used for growing these crops. The specific country selected for this study is India. Considering GMOs at large, a vast number of regulations have been laid down by different organizations in this nation, with the motive of maintaining biosafety. One of the main pillars of this system is the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB) to the Convention on Biological Diversity. In this study, the extent to which regulation regarding GMOs has changed over the years has been analyzed. The influence of the CPB on those changes has been noted, as this can help to assess how much of an impact the Protocol has made to the regulatory framework for GMOs.