Foreign made welcome
In 1982, the us-based multinational El-Lily produced and commercialised the first therapeutic recombinant protein, humulin (human insulin). That was the first instance of a pharmaceutical firm venturing into biotechnology. By the late 1980s, all the 20-odd us pharmaceutical majors were into biotechnology. Companies in uk and in many other parts of the developed world followed suit soon.
India was also quick to recognise biotechnology's potential: the country's biotechnology board was created as early as in 1982