India’s IDSP Reports Surge in Zoonotic Diseases and Highlights DBT‑Led Vaccine Initiatives (2022‑2026) The IDSP has recorded a sharp rise in several zoonotic infections across states. In response, the Ministry of Science & Technology, through the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and its research network, is accelerating vaccine development for both human and animal diseases. Key Developments (2022‑2026) Surveillance data : Cases of KFD rose from 54 in 2022 to 373 in 2024 before falling to 80 in early 2026; leptospirosis cases hovered around 10‑19 thousand annually; scrub typhus exceeded 70,000 cases in 2024. Vaccine research : Multiple BRIC institutes are developing next‑generation vaccines, including DNA, circular RNA ( circRNA ) and monoclonal antibodies against rabies, dengue, Zika, Nipah and Japanese encephalitis. Collaborative frameworks : A five‑year partnership between DBT, BIRAC and the CEPI aims to boost India’s vaccine‑development capacity. Funding mechanisms : The Biotechnology Ignition Grant has backed start‑ups working on DNA‑based rabies vaccines for stray dogs, pan‑influenza vaccines, mRNA dengue vaccines and malaria therapeutics. Important Facts & Figures According to Annexure‑I (IDSP‑IHIP portal), the cumulative cases from 2022‑2026 are: KFD : 727 cases Leptospirosis : 64,784 cases Scrub Typhus : 255,563 cases Annexure‑II records outbreak‑specific numbers for West Nile Fever, Nipah, CCHF and Human Rabies across several states, indicating a geographic spread beyond traditional hotspots. UPSC Relevance These developments intersect with multiple GS papers: GS‑2 (Polity) : Role of ministries, inter‑ministerial coordination and parliamentary oversight in health emergencies. GS‑3 (Economy & Health) : Public‑health financing, vaccine R&D ecosystem, and the economic impact of zoonotic outbreaks. GS‑4 (Ethics & Governance) : One‑Health approach, ethical considerations in animal‑vaccination programmes, and patent filing strategies. Way Forward To translate surveillance into containment, aspirants should note the following policy recommendations: Strengthen One‑Health coordination among health, wildlife, agriculture and urban planning ministries. Scale up diagnostic capacity in remote districts to sustain the upward trend in case detection. Accelerate clinical trials of BRIC‑developed vaccines, ensuring indigenous technology reduces import dependence. Expand BIG and CEPI funding to cover post‑licensure surveillance and cold‑chain logistics for rural immunisation. Incorporate zoonotic disease modules in medical and veterinary curricula to build a skilled workforce. By monitoring the evolving data and supporting home‑grown vaccine pipelines, India can mitigate the health‑economic burden of zoonoses and showcase a robust public‑health model for the UPSC syllabus.