PM Modi said the institute will help farmers of the region to develop varieties of paddy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the International Rice Research Institute's South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC) campus in Varanasi. The centre will serve as a hub for rice research and training in South Asia.
PM Modi dedicated the institute to the country. He added that the the institute will help farmers of the region to develop varieties of paddy which grow in minimum water and have low sugar content and high nutritional value.
India's association with the IRRI dates back to the 1960s. PM Modi was the first Indian prime minister to visit IRRI headquarters in Manila, Philippines in November 2017.
PM Modi also inaugurated 15 projects worth Rs 80 crore in his constituency Varanasi today.
PM Modi also attended the 'One District, One Product' Regional Summit in Varanasi where he interacted with weavers and artisans.