Prime Minister’s Office
प्रविष्टि तिथि: 27 OCT 2026 7:33PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister in my Cabinet Dr. Jitendra Singh ji, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India Ajay Sood ji, all Nobel Prize-winning scientists, all other distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.
Today, such a large number of delegates from the world of Science and Technology are present here. Our young innovators are here as well. Before coming here, I interacted with some startup founders. The scale at which India’s youth are thinking and the confidence with which they are moving forward is truly encouraging.
Friends,
I had attended this conclave last time as well. This time, we are discussing the subject of Emerging Science and Technology. Decades ago, there was a time when Science and Technology, for India, meant catching up. Whenever something new was innovated in the world, that technology would reach us after a few years. We would adopt it or make minor improvements and move forward. But today, 21st-century India is moving ahead with a new mindset and a new confidence. Now our goal is to create new technologies for India, for the world, for today, and for the future, to determine their direction, and to develop the capability to provide solutions to global challenges. During the COVID period, we saw an example of this. When many countries around the world were struggling with vaccine availability, India developed its own vaccine, carried out vaccination on a large scale, and also supplied vaccines to other nations. This is the confidence of 21st-century India. We reach Mars in our very first attempt. We reach the South Pole of the Moon, a place where no one had reached before. And that is why I firmly believe: India must embrace the technologies of the future, innovate boldly, and lead the world in creating them.
Friends,
From the discovery of zero to the number system and astronomy, India’s tradition has always been one of knowledge and discovery. Today, we are taking this scientific heritage forward with modern technologies and renewed confidence. Some examples from the past year help us understand this transformation even better. On 30th October, the nation will celebrate the birth anniversary of Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha. Therefore, let me begin with nuclear energy.
Friends,
All of you know that for building a Developed India, we will require nuclear energy on a large scale. Dependence on imports for nuclear fuel is a challenge to our energy security. Therefore, India is rapidly advancing its Fast Breeder Reactor Technology. Just a few months ago, the country’s 500-Megawatt Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor achieved First Criticality. This is an extremely significant and important step towards strengthening our long-term capabilities in the field of nuclear energy.
Friends,
Whether it is energy security or self-reliance in technology, India’s goal is not limited to fulfilling its own needs. Our objective is also to expand our strength in critical technologies. This year, India achieved new milestones in the space sector as well. An Indian space startup successfully placed a satellite into orbit using a Made-in-India rocket in its very first attempt. India also achieved the capability of satellite docking. Today, many Indian startups are bringing new solutions in space science. The participation of young scientists and entrepreneurs in the space sector is also increasing significantly.
Friends,
The range of achievements India is making across various sectors is unprecedented. This very year, India hosted the AI Impact Summit and launched its own AI model. The first shipments of chips manufactured in India have now started reaching global markets. In the field of battery storage as well, we are working on capacity building based on raw materials available within India itself.
Friends,
From nuclear energy to space, and from AI to semiconductors, the requirements of these sectors are different. But their message is one and the same. India is strengthening both its capabilities and its confidence in emerging technologies. India possesses another strength as well: solutions at scale. Whenever a solution succeeds in India, it creates pathways for solving the problems of many countries around the world. Our Digital Stack is a wonderful example of this. Our 5G technology is another example. India is moving towards developing secure solutions that can reach people on a large scale.
Friends,
You all know that one challenge in the world of Science and Technology has always been the tendency to see it as a weapon. India, however, believes that Science and Technology are instruments for the service of humanity. The true success of science comes when it moves from the laboratory into the lives of ordinary citizens and improves them. Lab to land, the success of this technology is not determined merely by how advanced it is. Its real strength lies in how large a problem it solves and how many lives it transforms. Therefore, for us, Emerging Science and Technology means solutions that strengthen healthcare, transform agriculture, create new opportunities in education and employment, and help in disaster management. I am pleased that India’s startup revolution is giving prominence to such questions. One startup is working on wearable EEG technology that helps understand brain activity. Indian companies are developing indigenous wireless and satellite communication solutions. In the field of nutrition, products are being developed keeping special dietary needs in mind. Indian companies are working on new technologies in the semiconductor sector. Solutions for utilising industrial waste such as steel slag are also being explored in our country.
Friends,
Just a few days ago, I had the opportunity to visit Chennai. I would like to share that experience with you as well. There, I inaugurated a modern Brain Centre at IIT Madras. This centre has developed a brain imaging technology platform that is a model for the entire world. This Brain Centre is working on developing high-resolution digital 3D images of the human brain. The success of this mission will help solve many complexities associated with neurological diseases. Science for Society, Technology for Transformation, this should be the benchmark of our scientific progress. And India is moving forward while measuring itself against this benchmark.
Friends,
We all know that a country’s technology and technology-creation capability depends on its research. Research is the power that enables a nation to find solutions to its own problems and become self-reliant in critical technologies. That is why I have said: Jai Vigyan, Jai Anusandhan! For a Developed India, we are continuously strengthening our research sector. With this resolve, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation is being accelerated. Last year, on this very platform, we pledged an allocation of one lakh crore rupees for Research, Development, and Innovation. Today, the results are becoming visible. In the past year, nearly twelve thousand crore rupees have already been committed to technologies that are ready to move from the laboratory to the market. And private investors are participating equally in this effort. Alongside the government’s commitment of twelve thousand crore rupees, the private sector is also investing twelve thousand crore rupees. This means that within just one year, a total new commitment of twenty-four thousand crore rupees has been made towards Research and Development.
Friends,
India’s research ecosystem is also continuously expanding. Patent applications have seen substantial growth. Ten years ago, fewer than fifty thousand patent applications were filed in an entire year. Last year, this number rose to nearly one hundred and fifty thousand. These figures do not merely indicate rising numbers. They signify a transformation in which research and innovation are emerging as a strong culture within India.
Friends,
In this second quarter of the 21st century, another question has become extremely important. In the age of AI, how will scientific judgement evolve? The scientists leading our laboratories have developed their expertise through years of experience. On this stage too, several distinguished scientists and Nobel laureates are present. We all know that they developed their understanding by solving small problems, conducting experiments, and learning from failures. A scientist does not merely repeat available information. A scientist questions established patterns. A scientist examines solutions from new perspectives. A scientist identifies aspects that others may have overlooked. It is through this process that scientific judgement develops. Today, however, in the age of AI, a new challenge is emerging before us. AI can complete many routine tasks very quickly. This can improve research productivity. But we must also ensure that AI does not limit scientific thinking and independent judgement, but instead enriches them. The time saved through AI should be used for addressing more challenging problems, conducting new experiments, and testing new ideas. AI can provide answers quickly. But the responsibility of verifying the truth of those answers must remain with the scientist.
Friends,
We must continue preparing our scientists and institutions not only for today’s needs but also for future challenges. Semiconductors, Quantum Technologies, Biotechnology, Advanced Materials, Robotics, Space, Clean Energy, and Next-Generation Communications are areas that will shape the future. India is building strong scientific foundations in all these fields. For this purpose, several National Missions have also been launched. Our objective is that new breakthroughs in these domains should emerge from India as well. And our responsibility extends beyond innovation alone. Whether it is AI, synthetic biology, or autonomous systems, safety and security must be given priority. In the age of AI, new challenges and new threats are also emerging in cybersecurity. From our financial networks to our national security systems, everyone faces this challenge. Therefore, it is essential that we work on AI-based solutions and advance quantum security solutions that can secure the country’s systems against these threats. Our goal is to develop technologies that strengthen India while also contributing solutions to the challenges facing humanity.
Friends,
I appeal to every researcher, industry leader, startup founder, and young student present at this conclave to set a concrete goal for themselves. In the next three years, what technology, prototype, pilot project, or product will they contribute towards developing? Let us create innovations that support the making of a Developed India. Let us create innovations that make India a centre point for global solutions. Therefore, it is my hope that this conclave does not remain limited to an exchange of ideas alone. It should become a platform for measurable outcomes.
Friends,
Today, India is the youngest country in the world. We have talent. We have the resolve to create something new. We must build a generation that does not merely participate in Emerging Science and Technology, but leads it. Our spirit should be: We will do it. We will do it. Our confidence should be: We will do it. Once again, I extend my very best wishes for the success of this conclave.
Thank you!
DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of the Prime Minister’s address. Original address was delivered in Hindi.
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