India Aiming for Global Competitiveness Through Indigenous Capabilities and International Cooperation: Dr. Jitendra Singh at IPRD 2026
PIB National (English) · Published 4 November 2026 · Last updated
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh concluded 'ESTIC 2026' by outlining a draft vision targeting the validation of pilot technologies by 2030, wider deployment and manufacturing by 2035, and global competitiveness by 2047, emphasizing indigenous methodologies and resources.
Key points
- Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh addressed the conclusion of 'ESTIC 2026', calling for scientific platforms to evolve into globally recognized spaces for researchers and innovators.
- The minister emphasized that India's research priorities must increasingly focus on indigenous resources, indigenous methodologies, and technologies developed domestically.
- The event highlighted the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems, particularly preparing for the Mission's next phase beginning in January 2028.
- Discussions focused on technology hubs established under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems to boost interdisciplinary research.
- The session called for stronger testbeds connecting researchers and industry, the development of India-specific datasets, and closer collaboration among academic institutions, startups, and industrial partners.
- Key recommendations included emphasizing patient capital for indigenous hardware, multidisciplinary hands-on training, safety-by-design principles, early customer engagement, and viable business models.
- The newly proposed draft vision envisages the validation of pilot technologies by 2030, wider deployment and manufacturing by 2035, and global competitiveness in these technologies by 2047.
- The event witnessed participation from key scientific leadership, including the Director General of CSIR Dr. (Mrs.) N. Kalaiselvi, Secretary of DBT Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale, and Secretary of DST Prof. Umesh V. Waghmare.
- Other notable attendees included Secretary of MoES Dr. Srinivasa Kumar Tummala, and Secretary of DARE and DG of ICAR Dr. Mangi Lal Jat, alongside industry representatives and startups.
Background
- India has historically relied heavily on imported technologies and foreign methodologies in critical scientific and industrial sectors, prompting a strategic policy shift towards Atmanirbhar Bharat.
- The National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems was initiated to establish advanced technology hubs and foster cutting-edge research across academic and industrial ecosystems.
- Successive scientific policies have increasingly prioritized indigenous resource utilization and domestic manufacturing to insulate the economy from global supply chain shocks.
- Collaborative frameworks between the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Department of Science and Technology (DST), and academic institutions have been progressively strengthened to bridge the lab-to-market gap.
- The government has systematically expanded institutional leadership capacity building in science administration to better manage large-scale national technology missions leading up to 2047.
UPSC relevance, Prelims facts and Mains angle for this issue are in the full SWAदेSH note.
Original report: PIB National (English)