India Launches First Indigenous African Swine Fever Vaccine
| Event/Highlight | Details |
|---|---|
| First Indigenous ASF Vaccine | Developed by ICAR-NIHSAD, Bhopal; launched on ICAR Foundation Day 2026 by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Vaccine is live attenuated, derived from MA-104 cell line. |
| Significance | Enhances biosecurity, supports pig farmers (especially in Northeast India), and advances Aatmanirbhar Bharat in veterinary vaccines. India joins few nations capable of producing an ASF vaccine. |
| African Swine Fever (ASF) | Contagious viral disease affecting pigs/wild boars. Symptoms: High fever, hemorrhages, 100% mortality in some cases. No risk to humans but causes severe economic losses. |