Bioprospecting of Plant Diversity in India: Trends from CBD to the Present and Prospects in Traditional Medicine-Based Drug Discovery

The success of a nation relies on its ability to transform biodiversity and natural resources into sustainable wealth, utilising science and technology in an ecologically responsible and economically rewarding manner. Biodiversity is a crucial resource for creating value-added products such as food, medicine, cosmetics, and other commercially valuable items. Genetic diversity allows breeders to customise crops to meet human needs and to adapt to environmental changes. Genetic resources provide valuable genes, chemicals, drugs, pharmaceuticals, natural dyes, gums, resins, enzymes, and proteins of industrial importance. Knowledge-based product development and commercialisation are rapidly growing economic activities. As global trade practices and economic reforms evolve with initiatives such as the United Nations CBD (UN-CBD) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), understanding advancements in biotechnology, information technology, and artificial intelligence is essential. The concepts of ‘knowledge engineering’ and the development of ‘knowledge industries’ are gaining increasing attention. Countries like India must convert biodiversity and traditional knowledge (TK) systems into value-added, globally competitive products while safeguarding intellectual property rights (IPR). Responsible bioprospecting practices are crucial to conserving natural heritage sites and providing valuable solutions to global challenges. Strategic planning, robust policy frameworks, and stakeholder collaboration will maximise bioprospecting benefits for India and the world. This chapter assesses bioprospecting plant diversity in India, traces trends from the CBD era to the present, and offers future insights into traditional medicine-based drug discoveries.