A dangerous turn? Why India must reject gene-edited rice

By Bharat Dogra 

India stands at a crossroads. The future of its agriculture—and indeed its food sovereignty—hangs in the balance. The nation’s true strength lies in its potential to lead the world in natural, climate-resilient farming, grounded in agro-ecology, soil and water conservation, and the rich heritage of its indigenous seeds. This is the path to self-reliance and healthy food. Yet, this promising vision is under siege by the hidden and overt representatives of global agribusiness, who are determined to entangle Indian agriculture in a corporate-led model that prioritizes profit over people, sustainability, and nutrition.

For too long, powerful corporate interests and their local collaborators have steered Indian farming away from sovereignty and toward dependence. This relentless pursuit of profit has pushed farmers into a cycle of debt and economic distress, while sustainable, self-reliant alternatives were systematically ignored. Now, these same forces are orchestrating a new and even more perilous move: the introduction of gene-edited rice, which would require India to seek permission for foreign-patented technologies, directly undermining its long-standing resistance to genetically modified (GM) food crops.

India has earned a commendable reputation for its firm stance against GM crops, particularly in the food sector. Despite intense lobbying, the introduction of GM mustard and brinjal was successfully averted, confining GM technology to cotton—where its promised benefits have often proven hollow. However, unable to break this resistance, the corporate lobby is now pivoting to gene-edited crops, hoping to bypass the regulatory hurdles that have blocked their GM predecessors. This tactic must not succeed. As opponents of GM crops have consistently argued, gene-edited crops warrant opposition on substantially similar grounds.

Recent reports suggest that India may soon sign a memorandum of understanding with the US-based Corteva Agriscience to cultivate the "Pusa-DST Rice-1," a gene-edited variety, as early as this winter. This proposal has rightly sparked outrage. The Coalition for GM-Free India has condemned the "hasty promotion of untested, underperforming, and unsafe varieties." Furthermore, twenty agricultural scientists associated with the Agriculture Scientists Manch have warned against the premature release of these varieties, citing grave risks to farmers, biodiversity, and seed sovereignty. They have demanded greater transparency and rigorous regulation, arguing that gene editing must be brought under the same strict purview as GM crops.

The coalition’s detailed critique underscores that these rice varieties pose potential harm to human health and the environment, while simultaneously threatening our indigenous seed pool. The precautionary principle must be applied to avoid irreversible damage. This is particularly concerning for rice, India's most vital food crop, renowned for its stunning diversity of indigenous varieties. The late Dr. R.H. Richharia, one of India’s most distinguished rice scientists, dedicated his life to cataloguing thousands of these native cultivars. A thorough study of this invaluable genetic wealth would likely reveal varieties that meet our agricultural needs far better than any hazardous, untested gene-edited alternative.

From an economic standpoint, India’s interests are best served by becoming a global hub for healthy, GM-free rice. Many Indian rice exporters, understanding this, have actively opposed the gene-editing lobby. Yet, powerful foreign interests are determined to prevent India from flourishing in this capacity. They wish to dismantle the indigenous, non-GM rice sector, and it is under their pressure that such harmful decisions are being considered.

The strategy is clear. As awareness of the dangers of GM crops has grown, the same corporate actors are rebranding their agenda under the banner of gene editing, hoping to escape the stigma attached to their earlier ventures. But the science is clear: these technologies carry similar risks.

A study published in Nature Biotechnology by scientists at the UK’s Wellcome Sanger Institute found that techniques like CRISPR can cause "genetic havoc," leading to unintended, large-scale deletions and rearrangements of DNA. Previous studies on gene-edited soybeans have also revealed off-target effects. Friends of the Earth has documented that the application of these techniques often aligns with an increased reliance on chemical-intensive agriculture. Moreover, gene editing can be used to create "gene drives" designed to spread modified genes uncontrollably through wild populations. Once released, these organisms cannot be recalled. The controversial use of this technology on mosquitoes and insects has already reported significant adverse impacts.

Dr. Pushpa M. Bhargava, the founder of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology and a former Supreme Court-appointed observer on the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee, was a towering figure of integrity. He unequivocally stated: "There are over 500 research publications by scientists of indisputable integrity… that establish harmful effects of GM crops on human, animal and plant health, and on the environment and biodiversity." He also warned that the ultimate goal of this corporate push, led by Monsanto, was to "obtain control over Indian agriculture and thus food production."

Dr. Bhargava’s stance is echoed globally. The Independent Science Panel has concluded that GM crops "have failed to deliver the promised benefits" and that "sufficient evidence has emerged to raise serious safety concerns, that if ignored could result in irreversible damage." Given that gene-edited crops carry many of the same high risks, the narrative that they are somehow exempt from GM regulations is a dangerous falsehood.

In July 2018, Europe’s highest court ruled that gene-edited crops must be subject to the same strict regulations as GMOs. The court noted that the "risks linked to the use of these new mutagenesis techniques might prove to be similar to those that result from production and release of a GMO." Welcoming the verdict, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth hailed the decision as a vital step for safety and labeling.

India cannot afford to ignore these warnings. The neo-colonialist designs to control its agriculture must be defeated. The scientific evidence, judicial precedents, and ethical principles all point to the same conclusion: gene-edited crops are not a solution but a menace. This is a battle for seed sovereignty, farmer welfare, and the nation's food security. If necessary, a nationwide movement, perhaps even a satyagraha along Gandhian lines, may be required to protect India’s agricultural future from the clutches of multinational corporations.

---

The writer is Honorary Convener of the Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include India's Quest for Sustainable Farming and Healthy Food and Man over Machine. His website is bharatdogra.in, and his YouTube channel is Bharat Dogra | Save Earth Campaign