The growing burden of cancer, rare genetic disorders, and infectious diseases in India has increased the need for faster and more precise diagnostic tools. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has emerged as a central technology in genomics by enabling high-throughput analysis of DNA and RNA. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms in India are increasingly used across clinical genomics, molecular diagnostics, and research applications. In India, NGS is increasingly used in clinical diagnostics, biomedical research, and biotechnology, supported by expanding infrastructure, falling sequencing costs, and growing demand for personalized medicine.
NGS refers to high-throughput DNA sequencing technologies that allow simultaneous analysis of millions of DNA fragments, significantly improving speed and scale compared to traditional methods. It supports applications such as whole genome sequencing, whole exome sequencing, targeted gene panels, transcriptomics, and metagenomics.¹
The typical sequencing workflow includes sample extraction, library preparation, sequencing, and data analysis, forming a multi-step process that requires both laboratory and computational expertise.² This sequencing workflow represents a standard high-throughput DNA sequencing process used in modern genomics.
Facilities such as the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology provide services including microbial genome sequencing, RNA sequencing, targeted sequencing panels, and metagenomics, demonstrating the broad applicability of NGS in India.¹
Educational and training initiatives, including those supported by the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning, indicate increasing efforts to build technical expertise in sequencing technologies.³
India’s NGS market is growing steadily. Industry data indicates a projected compound annual growth rate of approximately 11 percent through 2033.⁴
More detailed market estimates indicate that the Indian NGS market is expected to grow from approximately USD 297.7 million in 2025 to about USD 1.33 billion by 2033, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of around 20.7 percent, according to Grand View Research.⁵ Another estimate by IMARC Group places the market at USD 283.65 million in 2025, projected to reach approximately USD 1.42 billion by 2034, with a compound annual growth rate of about 19.67 percent.⁶
India currently contributes around 2.6 percent of global NGS market revenue, while the Asia-Pacific region is considered one of the fastest-growing markets for sequencing technologies, highlighting the emerging role of the genomics industry in India.⁵
Growth is supported by multiple factors:
Increasing burden of cancer and genetic disorders
Expansion of precision medicine approaches
Growth in genomics research and academic collaborations
Rising demand from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies
Market analyses also highlight the role of research institutions and infrastructure development in supporting the expansion of sequencing technologies in the region.⁷
Global market reports further indicate that NGS demand is increasing due to its applications in diagnostics, drug discovery, and personalized medicine.⁸
NGS platforms used in India include high-throughput and targeted sequencing systems.
Companies such as Yaazh Xenomics represent emerging genomics service providers using platforms including Illumina NovaSeq for large-scale sequencing and MiSeq for targeted sequencing and gene expression studies.⁹
Similarly, Decipher Genomics reflects a clinically oriented genomics company utilizing both Illumina systems and Oxford Nanopore Technologies for sequencing.¹⁰
Research facilities such as the National Centre for Biological Sciences serve as leading academic genomics centers operating sequencing platforms designed to deliver cost-effective workflows with relatively fast turnaround times.¹¹
Service providers including Bioserve Biotechnologies and Eurofins Genomics India function as established service-based genomics providers offering genome sequencing, targeted sequencing, RNA sequencing, and metagenomics services for research and industry applications.¹²
Other service providers such as Biokart India also offer NGS-based services including data generation and analysis for academic and industrial clients.¹³ These organizations collectively reflect a mix of emerging, service-focused, and research-driven players within the Indian NGS ecosystem.
NGS adoption in India is supported by multiple business models.
Many companies operate as sequencing service providers, offering end-to-end workflows that include sample preparation, sequencing, and downstream analysis. These services are widely used by academic institutions, biotechnology companies, and pharmaceutical firms.¹²
A key revenue driver within this model is consumables such as reagents and sequencing kits, which represent the largest and fastest-growing segment of the NGS market and provide recurring revenue streams beyond the initial sale of sequencing instruments.⁵
Several NGS service providers in India offer sequencing solutions for hospitals, research institutions, and biotech companies.
NGS is increasingly integrated into clinical diagnostics, particularly in oncology and rare disease diagnosis. Applications include:
Cancer gene panel testing
Hereditary disease screening
Prenatal and reproductive genetic testing
Targeted resequencing is a dominant approach in India, accounting for approximately 36.8 percent of the market in 2025.⁶
Targeted panels are generally more affordable than whole genome sequencing. The cost of NGS-based tests has declined over time due to increased competition and the growth of domestic service providers, making cost of NGS testing in India more accessible in clinical settings.¹⁹
NGS results require careful clinical interpretation and are often supported by genetic counseling. Limited availability of trained genetic counselors in India remains a constraint, which may affect appropriate interpretation and patient decision-making.¹⁸
Shared infrastructure models play a key role in India. Institutions such as the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms provide access to sequencing technologies for startups and researchers, reducing capital investment barriers.¹⁴
Academic and research institutions account for approximately 41.7 percent of NGS usage in India, indicating the continued dominance of research-driven adoption.⁶
Government-supported training programs and workshops further strengthen research capacity and adoption.¹⁵
NGS produces large datasets, creating demand for bioinformatics services. Companies offer services such as:
Variant identification and annotation
Genome assembly
Clinical interpretation
Data analysis has become a significant component of the NGS value chain in India.¹⁶
NGS also generates large-scale genomic datasets that require substantial data storage and computational infrastructure, with cloud-based platforms increasingly used to manage sequencing data efficiently.¹⁶
NGS is increasingly used in oncology to identify genetic mutations and guide targeted therapies. Evidence from oncology research highlights its role in treatment selection and understanding tumor genetics.¹⁷
Diagnostics represent the largest application segment in India, accounting for approximately 38.9 percent of the market, with similar dominance observed globally in clinical sequencing and molecular diagnostics in India.⁶
Clinical genomics in India is expanding with the use of NGS in oncology, rare diseases, and molecular diagnostics.
It is also used in diagnosing rare genetic disorders, reducing the time required for diagnosis in complex cases.
NGS turnaround time can vary from a few days to several weeks depending on the type of test and the complexity of analysis involved.¹¹
NGS is widely used in genomics, microbiology, and evolutionary biology research. Institutions across India use sequencing for large-scale projects and training programs.¹⁵
Pharmaceutical companies use NGS for drug discovery, biomarker identification, and clinical research. It supports patient stratification and development of targeted therapies.
Beyond clinical use, NGS is increasingly applied in agricultural genomics for crop and livestock improvement and in infectious disease surveillance, including pathogen detection and monitoring.⁶
NGS technologies were also used in genomic surveillance efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic in India, supporting tracking of viral variants and public health response strategies.¹⁸
India is advancing large-scale genome sequencing initiatives aimed at generating population-scale genomic data. These efforts are intended to support national genomic databases and enable precision medicine strategies.⁶
NGS is also being used in infectious disease surveillance programs, including metagenomic sequencing approaches for pathogen detection and outbreak monitoring.
Despite growth, several challenges remain:
High capital cost of sequencing platforms
Need for skilled bioinformatics professionals
Complexity of data storage and analysis
Limited standardization in clinical applications
Genetic and genomic testing in India operates within an evolving regulatory landscape, with ongoing efforts toward standardization and validation of testing practices.¹⁸
Studies also note challenges in interpretation of genomic variants, with many findings classified as variants of uncertain significance, particularly in populations where genomic reference data is still limited.¹⁸
The future of NGS in India is linked to improvements in affordability, automation, and data interpretation.
Growth is expected to be supported by advances in artificial intelligence for variant interpretation, cloud-based genomic data platforms, and integrated bioinformatics pipelines that improve scalability and efficiency.¹⁶
Increasing use of these technologies is expected to enhance both research and clinical adoption of sequencing.
At present, NGS adoption in India can be considered to be in a growth phase, with strong research adoption and expanding clinical integration, but not yet fully mature across all healthcare settings.
As infrastructure expands and costs decrease, NGS is likely to see wider adoption in clinical diagnostics and preventive healthcare.
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology. https://www.ccmb.res.in/Facilities-Services/Research-Facilities/Next-Generation-Sequencing
IESR. https://iesr.in/next-generation-sequencing-ngs/
National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning. https://onlinecourses.nptel.ac.in/noc23_bt34/preview
Express Healthcare. https://www.expresshealthcare.in/news/next-generation-sequencers-market-in-india-to-grow-at-11-cagr-through-2033-globaldata/443962/
Grand View Research. https://www.grandviewresearch.com/horizon/outlook/next-generation-sequencing-market/india
IMARC Group. https://www.imarcgroup.com/india-next-generation-sequencing-market
Transparency Market Research. https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/next-generation-sequencers-market.html
BIS Research. https://bisresearch.com/industry-report/global-next-generation-sequencing-market.html
Yaazh Xenomics. https://yaazhxenomics.com/ngs/
Decipher Genomics. https://deciphergenomics.in/next-generation-sequencing-ngs/
National Centre for Biological Sciences. https://www.ncbs.res.in/research-facilities/genomics
Eurofins Genomics India. https://www.eurofins.in/genomics/next-generation-sequencing/genome-sequencing/
Biokart India. https://biokart.com/ngs-based-services/
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms. https://www.ccamp.res.in/NGS-Genomics
India Science, Technology & Innovation. https://www.indiascienceandtechnology.gov.in/conferences-and-seminars/workshops-training-programmes/next-generation-sequencing
Manna Biotech. https://www.mannabiotech.com/post/ngs-data-analysis-services-for-indian-researchers
ASCO Publications. https://ascopubs.org/doi/pdf/10.1200/JCO.2024.42.16_suppl.e15091
BioServe Biotechnologies. https://bioserve.in/services/next-genration-sequencing/
