Government of India laid foundation stone of a Biosafety Level-4 (BSL-4) Containment Facility and laboratory at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The project has been described as a “health shield for India”, marking the beginning of a new era in national health security and biotechnology preparedness.
What is a Biosafety Level-4 (BSL-4) laboratory?
- BSL-4 is the highest level of biological containment.
- Such laboratories are designed to safely handle highly infectious and life-threatening pathogens for which:
- No effective vaccines or treatments are available, or
- Treatment options are extremely limited.
- Research is conducted under stringent international biosafety and biosecurity protocols, including:
- Full-body positive-pressure suits
- Dedicated air supply and waste management systems
- Multiple physical and procedural containment layers
Functions of a BSL-4 lab
- Advanced research on deadly pathogens
- Development of diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics
- Rapid outbreak investigation and emergency response
- Strengthening national preparedness against pandemics and bio-threats
Pathogens to be studied at the Gujarat BSL-4 lab
The Gandhinagar facility will enable research on some of the deadliest pathogens known, including:
- Ebola virus
- Marburg virus
- Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) virus
- Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) virus
- Nipah virus
These pathogens are classified as high-risk zoonotic and human viruses, capable of causing large-scale outbreaks.
Gujarat BSL-4 laboratory: key details
- Location: Sector-28, Gandhinagar, Gujarat
- Cost: ₹362 crore
- Area: Over 11,000 square metres
- Nature:
- First fully state-funded and state-controlled BSL-4 laboratory in India
- Second civilian BSL-4 research facility in the country
- Implementing agency: Gujarat State Biotechnology Mission (GSBTM)
- Operating institution: Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC)
GBRC already houses a BSL-2+ laboratory and was among the first Indian institutes to decode the whole genome of SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Timeline and planning
- Planning initiated: Mid-2022
- Foundation stone laid: 13 January 2026
- Gap highlights the complexity, regulatory requirements and safety considerations involved in building BSL-4 facilities.
Laboratory modules and infrastructure
The facility will include a multi-level biosafety ecosystem, comprising:
- BSL-4
- BSL-3
- BSL-2
- Animal Biosafety Level-4 (ABSL-4)
- Animal Biosafety Level-3 (ABSL-3)
- Advanced utilities and supporting infrastructure
Standards and guidelines followed
The lab is being developed in line with guidelines of:
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- US National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Department of Biotechnology (DBT), India
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
Role of Animal Biosafety Level-4 (ABSL-4) facility
- Enables work on high-risk animal and zoonotic diseases
- Earlier, such samples had to be sent to:
- National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (ICAR-NIHSAD), Bhopal
- ABSL-4 lab will have two components:
- Testing and diagnosis of animal disease samples
- Vaccine and antibody-based therapeutic development using animals
This strengthens India’s ability to respond to zoonotic spillovers, a key lesson from COVID-19.
National significance
- DBT has signed an MoU declaring the Gujarat BSL-4 lab a national facility
- This ensures:
- Guidance from expert institutions across India
- Shared national access for critical research
- Reduces dependence on foreign labs for advanced pathogen research
- Enhances real-time outbreak response, vaccine R&D, and biosecurity
Consultants and technical partners
- National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), India – experience with BSL-3 labs
- Doshi Consultants Pvt Ltd – pharmaceutical and biotech infrastructure
- Basler & Hoffmann AG, Switzerland – biosafety consultancy
- HT Group GmbH, Germany – specialised engineering support
What are Biosafety Levels
- BSL-1 & BSL-2
- Low to moderate-risk agents
- Examples: E. coli, seasonal influenza
- BSL-3
- Serious or potentially lethal diseases via inhalation
- Examples: Tuberculosis, SARS-CoV-2
- BSL-4 (High Containment)
- Most dangerous and exotic pathogens
- No known vaccine or treatment
- Examples: Ebola, Marburg, Nipah
Existing high-security biosafety labs in India
BSL-4 laboratories
- National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune – only civilian BSL-4 lab currently functional
- DRDO BSL-4 lab, Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) – set up in late 2024
ABSL facilities
- ICAR-NIHSAD, Bhopal – currently ABSL-3+, proposed upgrade to ABSL-4 (announced June 2025)
Globally, around 69 BSL-4 laboratories are operational or under development.
India’s broader biosafety laboratory network
Under Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
- Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDL) scheme
- Total approved labs: 165
- BSL-2: 154
- BSL-3: 11
- Since 2021:
- 42 new VRDLs approved (41 BSL-2, 1 BSL-3)
- 38 functional, 4 under development
Other biosafety labs in India
- ICMR institutes:
- BSL-4: 1
- BSL-3: 8
- BSL-2: 12
- DST / ANRF:
- 5 BSL/ABSL-3 labs (IRHPA programme)
- DBT institutes:
- 26 biosafety laboratories
- ICAR institutes:
- 9 biosafety laboratories
- CSIR institutes:
- 11 biosafety laboratories
Why this development is important
- Strengthens India’s pandemic preparedness and biosecurity
- Enables indigenous research on deadly pathogens
- Supports One Health approach (human–animal–environment interface)
- Positions India as a global hub for advanced virology and vaccine research
- Reduces delays caused by lack of high-containment facilities