In order to dispel apprehensions about GM crops, countries are conducting case-by-case safety evaluation before releasing them into the new environment. In India, no GM crop has yet been commercially released.

India’s transparent, three-tier regulatory regime oversees the development of GM crops from research to commercial use. Violation of the regulatory procedure attracts penal actions. 

Carefully tested GM crops introduced into the environment can benefit the society whereas introduction without evaluation can be dangerous. Weakly expressed insect resistance genes in GM plants can cause a change in the insect population, facilitating rapid emergence of resistant insects. 

Viral resistant plants can cause the development of more virulent strains through recombination with wild strains.

Herbicide resistant plants may lead to development of super weeds. Antibiotic resistant marker genes can get transferred into pathogenic microbes.

Introduction of transgenic sequences at undesirable site of the chromosome can lead to undesirable morpho-physiology of the crop plants. Transgenic proteins entering into human or animal food chain can be allergic or toxic. 

India started handling GM crops based on technologies of multinational companies. Indian public sector expertise is developing but is not geared to commercial exploitation.

Elite planting materials available in the country can be used to agronomic advantage by incorporating transgenic traits with the assistance of technological capabilities and materials of multinational companies. 

Teaming up is therefore advantageous. The two transgenic plants, namely the Bt Cotton and the herbicide resistant Indian mustard, which have made noteworthy progress in open field evaluation, use technologies of Monsanto, USA and Plant Genetic System, Belgium respectively.

All other GM crops being tested like tobacco, tomato, cabbage, cauliflower, potato, eggplant and paddy have to go a long way before they qualify for release.

New Seeds Act is likely to be in place shortly. Consequently, unauthorised introduction of GM plants on large scale in near future is unlikely.

Introduction of useful GM crops cannot be avoided or prevented because of technological and economic advantages. However these have to be strictly evaluated.

There are several other issues associated with use of GE technology like enhancing existing capacities to assess long-term environmental risks and to conduct food allergenicity evaluation.

Risk assessment includes analysing data on a case-by-case basis for informed decision making. Unique identification methods for GM traits are also required. These issues need to be addressed adequately and local capabilities enhanced. 

Over the past 6 years India has developed some scientific, managerial and legal expertise to handle GM crops.

A large number of locally developed scientific protocols have been utilised to assess short-term risks. India has gained experience from several field experiments though there are gaps in the assessment of a few long-term risks.

There is therefore a need to strengthen infrastructure, accelerate R & D, develop more protocols, and train manpower in different universities and institutions in order to upgrade capacity building, besides promoting creation of public awareness to facilitate the adoption of appropriate GM crops in Indian agriculture.