New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi today. Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister welcomed the scientists from India and abroad, innovators, members of the academia, and other distinguished guests. Speaking about India’s remarkable victory in ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, Modi highlighted that the entire nation was elated by the success of the Indian cricket team. He emphasized that this was India’s first Women’s World Cup win and extended his heartfelt congratulations to the women’s cricket team. The Prime Minister stated that the nation was proud of them and expressed confidence that their achievement would inspire millions of young people across the country.
The Prime Minister underlined that yesterday, India made significant strides in the world of science and technology. He highlighted the successful launch of India’s heaviest communication satellite by Indian scientists and extended his heartfelt congratulations to all scientists involved in the mission, as well as to ISRO. Modi emphasized that today is also a landmark day for science and technology. He noted that in the 21st century, there was a pressing need for global experts to come together and deliberate on emerging science, technology, and innovation to provide direction. This need, he said, gave birth to an idea, which evolved into the vision for this Conclave. He expressed happiness that the vision is now taking shape through this Conclave. The Prime Minister acknowledged the participation of various ministries, the private sector, startups, and students in this initiative. He stated that it is an honour to have a Nobel Laureate present among us today. He welcomed all attendees and extended his best wishes for the success of the Conclave.
Underlining that the 21st century is a period of unprecedented transformation, Modi remarked that the global order is witnessing a new shift, and the pace of change is not linear but exponential. With this perspective, India is advancing various aspects related to emerging science, technology, and innovation, maintaining a consistent focus on them. As an example, he highlighted the area of research funding and recalled the familiar national vision of ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ and noted that with a renewed emphasis on research, ‘Jai Vigyan’ and ‘Jai Anusandhan’ have been added to this vision. He informed that the Anusandhan National Research Foundation has been established to scale up research and innovation in Indian universities. Additionally, the Prime Minister announced the launch of the Research, Development and Innovation Scheme, with an allocation of ₹1 lakh crore. He emphasized that efforts are being made to promote research and development in the private sector as well. “For the first time, capital is being made available for high-risk and high-impact projects,” stated Modi.
“India is working to build a modern innovation ecosystem and is focusing on improving the ease of doing research,” said the Prime Minister, highlighting that the government has undertaken several reforms in financial rules and procurement policies. Additionally, reforms have been made in regulations, incentives, and supply chains to ensure that prototypes can swiftly move from lab to market.
Emphasising that the policies and decisions taken in recent years to make India an innovation hub are now showing clear results, Modi proudly shared key statistics. India’s R&D expenditure has doubled in the last decade; the number of registered patents has increased 17 times; and India has become the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem. He noted that over 6,000 deep-tech startups in India are currently working in areas such as clean energy and advanced materials. The Prime Minister added that India’s semiconductor sector is now taking flight. He also highlighted the growth of India’s bio-economy, which has expanded from $10 billion in 2014 to approximately $140 billion today.
Underscoring that in recent years, India has made significant strides in several sunrise domains including green hydrogen, quantum computing, deep sea research, and critical minerals, Modi emphasized that India has established a promising presence in all these areas.
“When science is scaled, innovation becomes inclusive, and technology drives transformation, it lays the foundation for major achievements,” remarked the Prime Minister, highlighting that India’s journey over the past 10–11 years exemplifies this vision. India is no longer merely a consumer of technology, but has become a pioneer of transformation through technology, said Modi. He recalled that during the COVID-19 pandemic, India developed an indigenous vaccine in record time and conducted the world’s largest vaccination programme.
Reflecting on how India has been able to successfully implement policies and programmes at such a mammoth scale, the Prime Minister attributed this achievement to India’s world-leading Digital Public Infrastructure. He highlighted that over two lakh gram panchayats have been connected through optical fibre and mobile data has been democratised across the country.
Modi noted that while India’s space programme has reached the Moon and Mars, it has also been harnessed to benefit farmers and fishermen through space science applications. He acknowledged the contributions of all stakeholders behind these accomplishments.
The Prime Minister emphasized the need to understand the transformative power of science and technology, and to ensure that they remain ethical and inclusive. He cited Artificial Intelligence as an example, noting its widespread application from retail and logistics to customer service and children’s homework. He affirmed that India is working to make AI beneficial for every section of society. Under the India AI Mission, an investment of over ₹10,000 crore is being made.
“India is shaping a global framework for ethical and human-centric AI,” highlighted the Prime Minister, mentioning that the upcoming AI Governance Framework will be a major step in this direction, aiming to develop innovation and safety together. He announced that India will host the Global AI Summit in February 2026, which will accelerate efforts towards inclusive, ethical, and human-centric AI.