THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 27, 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called upon India’s scientists, researchers, startups and industry leaders to innovate boldly and take the lead in developing emerging technologies, asserting that the country must move beyond adopting foreign innovations to creating solutions that address global challenges.

Inaugurating the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave 2026 at Bharat Mandapam here, Modi said India’s growing scientific capabilities, expanding research ecosystem and entrepreneurial spirit among young people offered an opportunity to shape the technologies of the future.

 “The scale at which the youth of India are thinking and the self-confidence with which they are moving forward is encouraging,” he said, recalling his interaction with startup founders earlier in the day.

The prime minister contrasted India’s earlier approach of catching up with technological advancements developed elsewhere with the aspirations of a country seeking to create original technologies, set global benchmarks and solve problems confronting humanity.

Citing India’s indigenous COVID-19 vaccines, its maiden Mars mission and the landing near the lunar south pole, he said the country had demonstrated its ability to undertake complex scientific missions and deliver technological breakthroughs.

“India must embrace the technologies of the future, innovate boldly, and lead the world in creating them,” Modi said.

Highlighting developments across critical sectors, he referred to progress in nuclear energy, space exploration, artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors and battery storage, describing the breadth of India’s achievements as unprecedented.

On nuclear energy, Modi stressed the need to build substantial domestic capacity to support the goal of a developed India, while reducing vulnerabilities arising from dependence on imported nuclear fuel.

He highlighted the achievement of first criticality by the indigenous 500-megawatt Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor, describing it as an important step towards strengthening India’s long-term nuclear energy capabilities.

In the space sector, he cited the achievement of an Indian startup that placed a satellite in orbit on its maiden attempt using a domestically developed rocket, as well as the country’s progress in satellite docking technology. He said startups and young scientists were increasingly contributing to new space-related solutions.

The prime minister also referred to India hosting the AI Impact Summit, launching its own AI model and beginning to ship domestically manufactured semiconductor chips to global markets. He said the country was working to develop battery storage capacity using raw materials available within India.

Emphasising the importance of developing technologies that can benefit people on a large scale, Modi cited the Digital Public Infrastructure ecosystem and indigenous 5G technology as examples of India's efforts to build secure, population-scale solutions.

He said scientific progress should not be confined to laboratories or judged solely by technological achievements, but should improve everyday life and help address challenges in healthcare, agriculture, education, employment and disaster management.

 “The real success of Science occurs when it steps out of the lab and makes the life of the common citizen better,” he said.

Referring to his recent visit to IIT Madras, Modi highlighted a modern Brain Centre developing high-resolution, three-dimensional digital imaging of the human brain to advance research into neurological disorders. He said the principles of “Science for Society” and “Technology for Transformation” should guide the country’s scientific endeavours.

Underscoring the role of research and development in technological self-reliance, the prime minister referred to the Anusandhan National Research Foundation and the government’s earlier commitment of Rs 1 lakh crore towards research, development and innovation.

He said the government had committed Rs 12,000 crore over the past year for technologies emerging from laboratories and approaching market readiness, with private investors matching the amount, taking the combined commitment to Rs 24,000 crore.

Modi also highlighted the growth in patent filings, saying annual filings had increased from fewer than 50,000 a decade ago to nearly 1.5 lakh last year. He said the rise reflected a growing culture of research and innovation in the country.

Addressing the growing role of artificial intelligence in scientific research, he cautioned that the technology should strengthen, rather than restrict, independent thinking and scientific judgement.

While AI could accelerate routine tasks and improve productivity, scientists must devote the time saved to more complex problems, experiments and validation of new ideas, he said.

 “AI can give us answers quickly, but the responsibility of testing the veracity of the answer must lie with the scientist alone,” Modi said.

He called for sustained efforts through national missions in semiconductors, quantum technologies, biotechnology, advanced materials, robotics, space, clean energy and next-generation communications. He also stressed the need to prioritise safety and security in AI, synthetic biology and autonomous systems, including developing AI-based and quantum security solutions to counter emerging cyber threats.

Calling upon researchers, industry leaders, startup founders and students to set clear three-year targets, Modi urged them to identify the technologies, prototypes, pilot projects or products they would help develop.

He said the conclave should move beyond discussions and generate measurable outcomes that contribute to building a developed India and establishing the country as a global hub for technological solutions.

Concluding his address, the prime minister said India, as a young nation with substantial talent and ambition, must prepare a generation that leads emerging science and technology rather than merely participates in it.