Important Facts of the News
- ₹1 lakh crore allocated for Research, Development and Innovation Scheme
- R&D spending doubled in last 10 years
- Registered patents rose 17 times
- India is world’s third-largest startup ecosystem
- Over 6,000 deep-tech startups in clean energy, advanced materials
- Bio-economy grew from $10 billion in 2014 to $140 billion now
- Women file over 5,000 patents annually (from under 100 a decade ago)
- Women form 43% of STEM enrolments
- Nearly 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs operational; 25,000 more planned
- 10,000 PM Research Fellowships to be awarded in next 5 years
- ₹10,000 crore under India AI Mission
- Global AI Summit to be hosted in February 2026
- ESTIC 2025: 3–5 November, over 3,000 participants
He began by celebrating India’s first-ever ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 victory, saying the achievement would motivate millions of youth. He also praised ISRO scientists for launching the country’s heaviest communication satellite the previous day.
Major Push for Research and Innovation
The Prime Minister introduced the Research, Development and Innovation Scheme backed by ₹1 lakh crore to strengthen research in universities and encourage private sector involvement. For the first time, funding will support high-risk, high-impact projects.
He stressed reforms in finance rules, procurement and regulations to help prototypes reach markets faster. India now focuses on ease of doing research to build a strong innovation environment.
Key Milestones in a Decade
Research expenditure has doubled over the past ten years. Patent filings have jumped 17-fold. The country stands third globally in startups. More than 6,000 deep-tech ventures operate in clean energy and advanced materials. The bio-economy has expanded from $10 billion in 2014 to around $140 billion today.
Progress is visible in green hydrogen, quantum computing, deep sea exploration and critical minerals. India has built a solid base in these sunrise sectors.
From Technology User to Global Leader
India has shifted from consuming technology to leading change through it. During the pandemic, the nation created its own vaccine quickly and ran the world’s biggest vaccination drive. Robust digital public infrastructure, with optical fibre in over two lakh gram panchayats and affordable mobile data, made large-scale programmes possible.
Space technology now aids farmers and fishermen alongside missions to the Moon and Mars. When science scales up, innovation includes everyone and technology powers change, great results follow, the Prime Minister observed.
Women Leading the Change
Women scientists gain global praise in space projects. Patent filings by women have risen from under 100 yearly a decade back to over 5,000 now. They make up 43 percent of STEM students, above the world average.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Children watched Chandrayaan’s journey and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s space station mission, sparking interest in science. Nearly 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs let one crore students experiment; 25,000 more labs will open soon.
Seven new IITs, sixteen IIITs and hundreds of universities have come up. The new education policy allows STEM studies in local languages. The Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship will offer 10,000 awards in five years.
Ethical AI and Global Role
Under the India AI Mission, over ₹10,000 crore will ensure AI benefits all sections. India is crafting a global framework for ethical, human-centred AI. An AI Governance Framework is on the way, and the country will host the Global AI Summit in February 2026.
The Prime Minister urged focus on biofortified crops, low-cost soil enhancers, genomic mapping, affordable clean energy storage and self-reliance in critical inputs. He assured full government support for new ideas and called for a shared roadmap from the conclave.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, Principal Scientific Adviser Prof Ajay Kumar Sood, Nobel Laureate Sir Andre Geim and other leaders attended the event.
The three-day ESTIC 2025 (3–5 November) brings together over 3,000 experts to discuss 11 themes like AI, bio-manufacturing, semiconductors and space technology through talks, panels and showcases.