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In a breakthrough for India's livestock sector, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed the country's first indigenous live attenuated vaccine against African swine fever (ASF), a highly contagious viral disease that has devastated pig populations and caused heavy economic losses since its emergence in India in 2020.
Developed by scientists at ICAR–National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (ICAR-NIHSAD), Bhopal, the MA-104 Cell Line-Based Live Attenuated African swine fever vaccine is designed to protect pigs against ASF, a disease caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV). The vaccine has been developed using a novel attenuated ASFV Genotype II virus with unique gene deletions in the widely available MA-104 cell line, making it suitable for large-scale and cost-effective production.
ASF is regarded as one of the world's most destructive transboundary animal diseases, affecting domestic and wild pigs with mortality rates that can reach nearly 100 per cent. Since its first detection in India in 2020, the disease has spread across several States and Union Territories, severely impacting pig production, disrupting trade and animal movement, and causing significant livelihood losses, particularly among smallholder farmers in the North-Eastern region.
The economic impact of the disease has been substantial. ASF outbreaks in Assam during 2020 and 2021 resulted in estimated losses of around Rs. 276 crore due to pig mortality and culling. In Mizoram, the disease has affected over 11,382 households up to 2025, with reported financial losses of nearly Rs. 982 crore.
According to ICAR, the vaccine has completed comprehensive laboratory evaluations, including tests for sterility, purity, safety, genetic stability, immunogenicity, protective efficacy and virulence reversion. It was also field-validated in collaboration with the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, confirming its safety and effectiveness under field conditions.
The vaccine is recommended for healthy pigs above eight weeks of age and is administered as a 1 ml intramuscular injection, followed by a booster dose after 14 days.
ICAR said the indigenous vaccine is expected to significantly reduce pig mortality, minimise economic losses and improve the livelihoods of pig farmers by providing an effective preventive tool against ASF. It is also expected to strengthen India's animal health security and support the sustainable growth of the pig farming sector.
DARE Secretary and ICAR director general Dr M L Jat described the development as the beginning of a new era in veterinary science, saying it reflects India's growing capability to develop world-class animal health solutions and paves the way for more indigenous vaccines and technologies to strengthen livestock health, disease preparedness, and national food and biosecurity.
ICAR also highlighted that while only a limited number of commercially licensed ASF vaccines are currently available in Vietnam and rely on patented proprietary cell lines, the Indian vaccine uses the widely available MA-104 cell line. This innovation eliminates dependence on proprietary manufacturing platforms, enables large-scale production, and substantially lowers manufacturing costs.
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