From Recipient to Contributor
- India, once a major beneficiary of foreign agricultural assistance during the 1960s Green Revolution, now possesses the institutional and technological capacity to become a global contributor in agricultural R&D.
- With self-sufficiency achieved in wheat production, India is in a position to support international efforts—especially in developing countries facing similar challenges.
Relevance : GS-2 & GS-3 – International Relations (South-South cooperation) and Agriculture R&D.
Leadership in Wheat Innovation
- Indian agricultural research institutions have developed and scaled multiple high-yielding wheat varieties.
- Varieties like DBW187, DBW303, HD2967, HD3086 now dominate cultivation across millions of hectares.
- Research hubs such as IIWBR (Karnal), PAU (Ludhiana), and ICAR institutes play a leading role in this transformation.
Strategic Opportunity for India
- As global funding for agricultural research declines, India has an opportunity to:
- Strengthen partnerships with international institutions like CIMMYT and IRRI
- Support research on climate-resilient crops and food security in the Global South
- Expand its soft power through agri-diplomacy and development cooperation
Key Implications
- Transitioning from aid recipient to knowledge donor improves India’s global development profile.
- Agricultural assistance programs can be an extension of India’s South-South cooperation model.
- Investment in global research ensures preparedness against future food and climate crises.
Policy Recommendations
- Create a formal International Agricultural R&D Support Mission led by Indian institutions.
- Allocate strategic funding to global wheat and rice research, especially in Africa and South Asia.
- Leverage public-private partnerships to commercialize and share India-developed crop innovations globally.
