<p>This is the first report describing somatic embryogenesis and secondary somatic embryogenesis in <i>Dillenia indica</i> L., an underutilized and medicinally important fruit crop. Seeds isolated from fruits of different physiological ages (6 to 14 wk old) were used as explant sources for somatic embryogenesis. Different factors controlling the callus induction and further somatic embryogenesis in <i>D. indica</i> were optimized. The highest percent response for callus induction and further somatic embryo induction was obtained from seed explants dissected from the fruit of 12 wk post-anthesis (WPA), cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 1.0&#xa0;mg L⁻¹ 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) for 30&#xa0;days (d) and transferred to an auxin-free medium. A maximum of four to five somatic embryos were induced after transferring to auxin-free medium. Secondary somatic embryogenesis was also achieved from primary somatic embryos (PSEs). Regular subculturing of PSEs on fresh MS basal medium, performed at 4-wk intervals, enabled the formation of different stages of secondary somatic embryos (SSEs) in prolonged cultures (5 to 6 mo old) through repetitive somatic embryogenesis. Precocious germinated PSEs exhibited direct secondary somatic embryos on the hypocotyl; however, most of them were morphologically abnormal. The PSEs that developed at a later stage and were not converted into plantlets properly exhibited callus formation on the hypocotyl region and further differentiation of indirect secondary somatic embryos. About 25.3 ± 1.9 SSEs per primary somatic embryo were developed; out of them, about 92% were normal. Over 90% of mature cotyledonary stage PSEs and SSEs were germinated and converted into complete plantlets, which were subsequently acclimatized under field conditions.</p>