The 6th BioAgTech World Congress & Expo 2025 in New Delhi witnessed a landmark moment as the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) led a high-impact workshop that placed India at the forefront of the global sustainable agriculture movement. Held at The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel, this session brought together senior policymakers, regulators, scientific experts, and industry leaders to align efforts toward a more inclusive, innovation-driven, and farmer-first BioAg ecosystem.

The workshop was chaired by Dr. Suresh K. Malhotra, whose opening remarks reflected India’s regulatory maturity and preparedness. He highlighted the recent strides made in the formalization of biostimulant guidelines, adding that India now has a structured system in place. “We are having a set regulatory system,” he stated, pointing to the country’s commitment to providing clarity and direction for both domestic and international stakeholders in the biological inputs sector.

One of the most powerful elements of the workshop was its international regulatory dialogue. Dr. Carlos Goulart, Secretary of Agricultural Defense at Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture (MAPA), shared Brazil’s success in implementing the Bioinputs Law. He emphasized the importance of political will and institutional support in creating an enabling environment for biological alternatives to thrive. His presentation reinforced the idea that policy, when designed for long-term sustainability, can reshape farming practices across entire regions.

India’s own progress was further outlined by Dr. A. K. Saxena, Former Director of ICAR-NBAIM, who elaborated on the country’s dynamic regulatory framework for biostimulants. He noted that regulatory amendments are being continually evaluated and adjusted to ensure both safety and ease of implementation, enabling faster adoption of science-based solutions. His insights were followed by a compelling contribution from Mr. Karel Bolckmans, President of the International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association (IBMA), who stressed the urgent need for global harmonization of standards to ensure that innovation is not delayed by regulatory inconsistencies.

In addition to the regulatory focus, the session also served as a vibrant platform for discussions on innovation, commercialization, and translational research. Dr. Vishwanathan, Joint Director at ICAR-IARI, spoke on the need to develop systems that ensure field-level application of lab-driven discoveries. Ryan Bond, Vice President of Innovation and Business Development at Koch Agronomic Services, USA, shared perspectives from the industry on how public-private partnerships can catalyze innovation. Dr. T. Damodaran, Director of CISH-ICAR, and Mr. Giuseppe Natale, Founder of Vedalia, Italy, added further depth to the conversation by calling for collaborative frameworks that promote entrepreneurship and farmer-focused delivery models.

Together, these thought leaders underscored a shared commitment to moving from fragmented solutions to integrated ecosystems. The discussion acknowledged that scientific excellence must be matched with accessibility, affordability, and real-world impact. It also highlighted the need for regulatory certainty, capacity-building, and knowledge dissemination to empower farmers at every level of the value chain.

Beyond highlighting India’s internal achievements, the ICAR-led workshop positioned the country as a global convener of ideas, policy, and partnerships. By facilitating constructive cross-border engagement, India showcased its readiness to contribute to the shaping of a globally synchronized and resilient agricultural future.

As the session concluded, it left behind a strong message — the future of sustainable agriculture lies in shared responsibility, unified regulation, and continuous innovation. And India, with its deep-rooted agricultural heritage and forward-looking regulatory vision, is well-positioned to lead that change.