India’s Second BSL-4 Bio-Containment Lab

Union Home Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation stone of a state-of-the-art Biosafety Level-4 (BSL-4) Bio-Containment Facility at the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC) in Gandhinagar, marking a significant step in strengthening India’s health security and bio-safety ecosystem.

The facility will be constructed at a cost of ₹362 crore over an area of 11,000 square metres. Once completed, it will become India’s second BSL-4 laboratory, after the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, and notably, the first such high-level bio-containment laboratory to be established by a state government.

The BSL-4 lab will enable Indian scientists to safely research highly infectious and deadly viruses, significantly reducing India’s reliance on foreign laboratories for testing and studying dangerous pathogens. Equipped with world-class infrastructure, the facility will play a crucial role in preparedness against future pandemics and biological threats.

A key focus of the laboratory will be the study of zoonotic diseases — infections that spread from animals to humans — which account for an estimated 60–70 per cent of all infectious diseases globally.

Addressing the occasion, Amit Shah said the new facility aligns closely with India’s One Health Mission, an integrated approach that recognises the interconnection between the health of humans, animals and the environment. He added that the lab would strengthen India’s scientific capabilities and contribute to global efforts in disease surveillance, prevention and control.