Green Forge inauguration: India's first GM crop simulation lab opens in Mohali
Synopsis
India now has its first controlled-environment facility purpose-built for genetically modified crop research — and it could change how new GM varieties are cleared for cultivation. Green Forge at BRIC-NABI, Mohali, lets scientists simulate any agro-climatic condition and layer in AI, potentially accelerating the evidence pipeline that India's cautious GM regulatory regime has long demanded.
Key Takeaways
Union Minister Jitendra Singh inaugurated the Green Forge complex at BRIC-NABI, Mohali on 31 August .
Green Forge is India's first-of-its-kind GM crop simulation facility, with chambers controlling light, humidity, and temperature .
The facility allows researchers to assess GM crop suitability for different locations before field deployment.
Integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with simulation tools is planned, with applications in both agriculture and medical sciences.
The inauguration was held during the national conclave on BioE3 — Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment.
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh on Monday, 31 August inaugurated the country's first Green Forge complex at the National Agri-Food and Biomanufacturing Institute (BRIC-NABI) in Mohali, calling it a landmark step in India's genetically modified (GM) crop research programme. The facility is equipped with controlled simulation chambers capable of replicating varied environmental conditions for GM crop cultivation and experimentation.
What Green Forge Does
The Green Forge complex houses simulation chambers that allow precise control over light quality and quantity, humidity, and temperature, enabling researchers to recreate specific environmental conditions that may be difficult to reproduce in natural settings. According to Jitendra Singh, this capability is particularly valuable when a new GM variety is developed and scientists need to determine where it can be cultivated most effectively across India's diverse agro-climatic zones.
'Green Forge can help address this by recreating different environmental conditions in a controlled setting, allowing researchers to study the response of crops before taking them to appropriate cultivation locations,' the minister said at the event.
AI Integration and Research Potential
Singh highlighted the facility's potential to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) with its simulation capabilities, a convergence he described as opening 'new avenues for advanced experimentation.' He said that combining AI with Green Forge's controlled environment tools could make research processes significantly more efficient, with applications extending beyond agriculture into medical sciences.
The minister described the facility as reflecting a broader trend: the growing convergence of biotechnology, advanced simulation, and AI that is reshaping possibilities in life sciences research.
BioE3 Conclave Context
The inauguration took place during a national conclave on BioE3 — Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment — hosted at BRIC-NABI, Mohali. The BioE3 framework is part of India's broader push to position biotechnology as a pillar of economic growth, environmental sustainability, and job creation. Green Forge is among the first tangible infrastructure outcomes of this policy direction.
Significance for Indian Agriculture
India's GM crop landscape has historically been contentious — Bt cotton remains the only commercially approved GM crop, while GM mustard and other varieties have faced prolonged regulatory scrutiny. Green Forge, by providing a controlled pre-field evaluation environment, could potentially accelerate the evidence base needed for regulatory decisions on new GM varieties. Notably, the facility's ability to simulate diverse conditions is especially relevant for a country with as many agro-climatic zones as India.
As India scales its biotechnology ambitions under the BioE3 policy, Green Forge is positioned as a foundational research asset — one that may shape which GM crops eventually reach Indian farmers' fields.
Point of View
But its real value depends on whether the regulatory system is willing to act on the data it produces. The BioE3 framing — linking biotech to jobs and environment — is politically astute, but the harder question is whether India is ready to move beyond Bt cotton. Without a credible, time-bound regulatory pathway for new GM varieties, Green Forge risks becoming a sophisticated research asset whose outputs sit in a queue.
NationPress
31 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Green Forge and where is it located?
Green Forge is India's first controlled-environment simulation facility for genetically modified crop research, inaugurated at the National Agri-Food and Biomanufacturing Institute (BRIC-NABI) in Mohali on 31 August. It features chambers that can precisely regulate light, humidity, and temperature to recreate diverse agro-climatic conditions.
Who inaugurated the Green Forge complex?
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh inaugurated the Green Forge complex on 31 August during the national conclave on BioE3 at BRIC-NABI, Mohali.
How will Green Forge help GM crop research in India?
The facility allows researchers to simulate varied environmental conditions in a controlled setting, enabling them to study how a GM crop variety performs before it is taken to actual cultivation sites. This can help determine the most suitable locations for growing a particular GM variety across India's diverse agro-climatic zones.
What role will AI play at Green Forge?
Jitendra Singh indicated that artificial intelligence could be integrated with Green Forge's simulation capabilities to make research processes significantly more efficient and open new avenues for experimentation, with potential applications in both agriculture and medical sciences.
What is the BioE3 framework under which Green Forge was launched?
BioE3 stands for Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment — a national policy framework aimed at positioning biotechnology as a driver of economic growth, environmental sustainability, and job creation. Green Forge is one of the first major infrastructure outcomes under this initiative.
