Advancements in genetically modified insect pest-resistant crops in India

The review offers insights into the current state of research on insect pest-resistant GM crops and the regulations governing the cultivation of GM crops in India. India has a rich crop diversity of more than 160 major and minor crops through its diverse agroclimatic conditions. Insect pests alone cause around USD 36 billion in crop loss annually in India. The last two decades witnessed considerable progress in managing insect pests by adopting innovative techniques including transgenics. In research, significant advancement has been brought in insect pest-resistant transgenics in India since its inception in 2002. However, any events have not been endorsed owing to biosafety impediments, except Bt cotton reaching the commercial release stage. A landmark decision to exempt certain types of gene-edited plants from genetically modified organism (GMO) regulations offers great promise for developing novel insect-resistant crops in India. The article reviews the current research on insect pest-resistant transgenics and its regulations in India.