Delhi, 19 June (H.S.): At the Economic Times Education Summit 2025 in New Delhi, Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted a transformative period in India's scientific and technological landscape over the last 11 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He underscored India’s shift towards self-reliance, citing Operation Sindoor as evidence of enhanced capabilities in countering drone and missile threats. Dr. Singh emphasized that India possessed talent but lacked a supportive environment, which has been cultivated through PM Modi’s leadership. The unlocking of space and nuclear sectors, along with reforms impacting agriculture, education, and e-governance, were credited for significant progress.

Dr. Singh pointed to the aspirations of Indian youth fueled by science and innovation, and remarked on India's evolution as a leading nation in biotechnology, particularly referencing the BIO-e3 Policy emphasizing economy, employment, and environment. He also mentioned India’s achievements in preventive healthcare, including a DNA-based COVID-19 vaccine, and the remarkable success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. Additionally, he introduced the Axiom-4 mission, showcasing Indian biotechnology in space applications.

India's space economy is anticipated to grow from $8 billion to $44 billion, with over 300 startups emerging in the sector. Dr. Singh highlighted advances in citizen-centric technology like Face Recognition for Pensioners and the significant increase in grievance handling through CPGRAMS. He urged caution in the deployment of AI, advocating for a combination of AI and human intelligence to maintain empathy in governance, concluding that scientific research in India is now strategic and sovereign.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar