‘ESTIC 2025’
Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Nov 3 : Union Minister for Science and technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, today said “India is no longer a follower, she beckons others to follow her…It’s not the trailing India of 20th century, its future-ready India of 21st century”.
Speaking at the “Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025,” organised by the Department of Science and Technology, the Minister said India’s technological rise is now recognised globally and is shaping the country’s transformation into a key player in the world economy.
The Minister underscored India’s aspiration to become a developed nation by 2047 will be powered by its growing strength in science, technology, and innovation.
The Minister credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for transforming India’s science and technology landscape through sustained policy support and visionary initiatives. He said that programs like Start-Up India, Stand-Up India, announced from the Red Fort, ignited a nationwide movement for innovation and entrepreneurship.
Dr. Jitendra Singh observed that the Prime Minister’s emphasis on integrating scientific thinking into governance, industry, and education has broken traditional barriers and enabled India’s transition from a consumer of technology to a creator of it. Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the ESTIC-2025 earlier.
Dr Jitendra Singh said India’s rapid progress in science and innovation is a result of new direction, vision and collaborative approach. “The age of silos is over. The future lies in collaboration — across government, private sector, and academia,” he said, highlighting the shift towards a whole-of-government and whole-of-nation model of development.
Dr. Jitendra Singh drew attention to India’s strong economic growth driven by innovation-led sectors. He pointed out that India’s bio-economy has surged from USD 10 million to nearly USD 200 million over the past few years, while the country’s rank in the Global Innovation Index has improved from 80th to 38th. India, he said, now stands among the top three in bio-manufacturing in the Indo-Pacific region and second in medical devices and implants. He also referred to India’s growing role in the global space economy, which has expanded nearly fourfold in recent years, making India a significant participant in future space-based industries.
Acknowledging the growing role of young innovators, Dr. Jitendra Singh praised the wave of new enterprises and start-ups emerging even from smaller towns and new sectors. “We have seen the start-ups of DL2 and DL3, the start-ups of the government, and the start-ups of famous companies,” he said, adding that this surge reflects the country’s youthful aspiration and determination to shape its own future.
The Minister reflected on India’s transformation from a nation that once adopted technologies developed elsewhere to one that now leads with its own breakthroughs. “India is no longer the trailing India of the 20th century; she is the future-ready Modi’s India of the 21st century,” he remarked, noting that technological achievements that once took decades to reach Indian shores are now being pioneered domestically.
Referring to the conclave’s theme, “Imagine. Innovate. Inspire for Viksit Bharat 2047,” Dr. Jitendra Singh said it encapsulates the spirit of India’s forward-looking ambition — to leverage science and innovation for inclusive growth and global leadership. He concluded by expressing confidence that the deliberations at ESTIC 2025 will mark a defining step in India’s journey toward Viksit Bharat 2047, where science and technology will not just support economic progress but also define the nation’s identity as a self-reliant, innovation-driven powerhouse.
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