India should invest in the expansion of genomic epidemiology for vector-borne diseases filariasis, malaria and visceral leishmaniasis that are targeted for elimination.

Genomic epidemiology (GE) is an integration of genomics and epidemiology. The field has evolved significantly in the past decade, enhancing our understanding of genetic susceptibility, drug resistance, disease transmission patterns, outbreak surveillance, and vaccine development. It employs an arsenal of advanced tools such as whole-genome sequencing and single-nucleotide polymorphisms for analysis, tracing pathogen evolution, mapping genetic variations, and tracking drug resistance. The role of GE in infectious disease management extends beyond outbreak control to routine public health practices, precision medicine, and determining treatment policies. The expansion of GE can significantly bolster global health defenses by effectively enabling the detection and response to emerging health threats. However, challenges such as sampling bias, data quality, integration, standardization of computational pipelines, and need for trained personnel remain. To tackle these challenges, we must invest in building capacity, improving infrastructure, providing training, and fostering collaborations between scientists and public health officials. Concerted efforts must focus on overcoming existing hurdles and promoting seamless integration of basic research into public health frameworks to fully realize its potential. It is timely for India to rapidly expand its base in GE to gain valuable insights into genetic variations and disease susceptibilities. This will provide a fillip towards eliminating the three dominant vector-borne diseases in India: filariasis, malaria, and visceral leishmaniasis.