GM Crops: Case for India’s Policy Reset After US Trade Framework
Why in the news
The India-US interim trade framework, issued by the White House, brought genetically modified (GM) crops back into focus. An editorial argued this is a chance for India to reset its long-standing stance and rethink GM technology for food security, sustainability and competitiveness.
Key facts
- GM crops are plants whose genes are altered through recombinant DNA technology, unlike conventional breeding.
- Traits sought: pest resistance, herbicide tolerance, better nutrition, and tolerance of drought and salinity.
- Pressure points: rising population, climate stress, stagnating yields, shrinking land and water.
- Claimed gains: better yields, less chemical pesticide, more climate resilience.
- India has not even tested many GM crops, even as GM is widely adopted worldwide.
Why the policy is stuck
| Cause | Problem |
|---|---|
| Wrong categorisation | GM crops framed politically as environmental hazards instead of being judged crop by crop and trait by trait |
| Regulatory paralysis | Curbs enforced through administrative orders, not law; the regulator is weakened, trials are blocked, and an indefinite moratorium on testing leaves policy without data |
| Centre-State conflict | The Centre drives regulation, States resist field trials, so no authority can act decisively |
What the editorial recommends
- Let scientists decide, not ideology.
- Restore credibility by replacing ad-hoc bans with clear legislation and transparent risk assessment.
- Allow evidence-based public debate so consumers and farmers can choose.
- Treat the US trade framework as a re-entry point, giving cover to restart evaluation without seeming to concede.
Exam angle
- Technique behind GM crops: recombinant DNA technology.
- Issue: regulation by administrative orders and a testing moratorium.
- Trigger: India-US interim trade framework from the White House.