---
title: "Bt Cotton: India's GM Crop Explained | Model Diplomat"
description: "Bt cotton is India's only approved GM crop, designed to resist bollworm pests, making it crucial for farmers and agricultural policy in the country."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/bt-cotton"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Bt cotton is a genetically modified cotton variety engineered with genes from Bacillus thuringiensis to produce insecticidal proteins that kill bollworm pests.
- Is Bt cotton the only GM crop allowed in India?
- Which authority regulates the commercial release of Bt cotton?
- What is the refuge requirement in Bt cotton cultivation?
- Why did pink bollworm resistance become a problem for Bt cotton?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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In March 2002 India's Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee approved Monsanto-Mahyco's Bollgard Bt cotton hybrids for commercial cultivation, making it the country's first and still only legally grown genetically modified crop.

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