• Dr. Jitendra Singh reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s advice to work on clear, defined goals for a Developed India 2047
  • The Union Minister called for stronger collaboration among indigenous research, industry and academia and for timely conversion of technologies into societal solutions
  • Two key documents released: National Vision for Science, Technology and Innovation and India’s STI Outlook 2026
  • The Union Minister emphasized building capacity and emerging technologies while strengthening coordination between scientific institutions, industry and society
  • ESTIC will become a global platform for scientific excellence, innovation and technology‑driven transformation

Addressing the closing session of the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2026 at the India Pavilion today, Union Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences (independent charge) and Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh called for change through technology and reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s advice to work on clear, defined goals for a Developed India 2047

Emphasising the need to move beyond scientific discoveries to practical applications, Dr. Jitendra Singh said the success of India’s research and innovation ecosystem should be measured by its rapid contribution to national development and the ‘Developed India 2047’ vision. Advancing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s result‑oriented science and technology vision, he stressed the importance of identifying clear, defined goals for the next three years to assess the country’s progress and strengthen its long‑term scientific and technological capabilities

The closing session was attended by Government Chief Scientific Adviser Prof. Ajay K. Sood; Secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) and Director General of CSIR Dr. (Mrs.) N. Kalaisevi; Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale; Secretary of the Department of Science & Technology (DST) Prof. Umesh V. Vaghmare; Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) Dr. Srinivas Kumar Tummala; and Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General of ICAR Dr. Mangi Lal Jat, along with scientists, senior officials, industry representatives, start‑ups and other stakeholders. Presentations on the main recommendations and suggestions emerging from ESTIC 2026 were made, followed by the unveiling of two historic documents and a closing address by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said ESTIC should gradually evolve into a globally recognised scientific platform where researchers, academicians and innovators seek active participation opportunities, showcasing the quality and credibility of its scientific programmes. While praising the organisers for bringing together a wide spectrum of scientific topics, including Nobel laureates, and international experts, he stressed that India’s research priorities must increasingly focus on indigenous resources, methods and technologies developed within the country. He also highlighted the need to strengthen capacity building in science administration so that scientists and researchers leading institutions can develop the managerial and administrative skills required to guide scientific organisations effectively.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said emerging fields in science and technology offer opportunities to accelerate India’s technological progress and improve citizens’ living standards. Citing advances in biotechnology, genomics and space research, he emphasized the need to anticipate future scientific requirements, including space medicine, as human space missions become increasingly complex and long‑duration. He drew attention to the broad applications of nuclear science and technology, including nuclear medicine, stressing that their potential extends beyond energy and strategic uses to health care and other societal needs. He also highlighted the strategic importance of ocean science and the blue economy in shaping India’s future economic and geopolitical landscape, and called for affordable, accessible nutrition to remain a national priority.

Dr. Jitendra Singh congratulated the start‑up award winners and certificate recipients in the closing session. Referring to the Prime Minister’s interaction with start‑ups on the inaugural day, he urged deeper engagement between academia, research institutions, industry and emerging enterprises. He said the deliberations and recommendations emerging from ESTIC will contribute to building a more integrated innovation ecosystem, emphasizing technology development, its seamless deployment and advancing India’s scientific capabilities toward the ‘Developed India 2047’ goals.

Earlier, Chief Scientific Adviser Prof. Ajay K. Sood said that the primary purpose of scientific research should not be limited to discoveries but to develop solutions that address real‑life challenges. He called for stronger collaboration among government departments, universities, industry and local communities, as well as more effective support mechanisms for innovation. He also presented two historic knowledge documents prepared through inter‑ministerial cooperation and a whole‑of‑government approach.

The National Vision Document for ESTIC 2026 aligns the long‑term science, technology and innovation priorities of 12 ministries and departments across 12 thematic areas with the ‘Developed India 2047’ agenda. ‘India: Science, Technology and Innovation Outlook 2026’ provides a comprehensive, evidence‑based overview of the country’s evolving science, technology and innovation ecosystem, offering quantitative information to support policy‑making and strengthen engagement with international partners. The STI Outlook is envisaged as a dynamic resource to be updated annually.

Secretary of DSIR and Director General of CSIR Dr. (Mrs.) N. Kalaisevi presented the key findings of the session on Advanced Manufacturing. Discussions highlighted the need to boost advanced manufacturing’s contribution to the Indian economy, accelerate the transition from successful technology development to deployment, and deliver scientific and technological solutions to rural and disadvantaged communities. Participants called for stronger collaboration between research labs and industry, shared performance indicators for researchers and industrial partners, greater exploration of traditional materials for advanced applications, and capacity building in specialised manufacturing equipment and technologies. The session also stressed the importance of converting indigenous research into solutions that generate clear economic and social benefits.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences outlined the suggestions and recommendations emerging from the session on ocean science and marine technologies. Discussions called for strengthening ocean observation systems via satellites, research vessels, buoys and autonomous platforms supported by advanced modelling and artificial intelligence to translate scientific observations into practical oceanic information. The session emphasized narrowing the gap between research and practical applications in maritime security, weather and climate services, coastal protection, fisheries and strategic maritime capabilities. It advocated strong industry collaboration, accessible data systems, international cooperation and sustainable management of marine resources, as well as extensive use of indigenous technologies in underwater robotics, deep‑sea exploration, ocean energy and desalination. These recommendations placed the sustainable development of coastal communities and the blue economy at the core of India’s ocean science priorities.

The Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology presented the main suggestions and recommendations from the session on Systems and Synthetic Biology. Discussions focused on integrating systems biology, synthetic biology and artificial intelligence to improve biological research, experimental design and predictive capabilities. Participants urged strengthening shared research infrastructure by linking bio‑AI hubs, bio‑foundries and bio‑manufacturing facilities, and improving process development, scale‑up and reproducible testing. The session also called for training a skilled workforce in engineering biology through interdisciplinary education and hands‑on training. Moreover, it emphasized robust partnerships between academia and industry with clearly defined goals to enhance the scalability, affordability and industrial acceptance of biotech solutions. The discussions highlighted biotechnology’s vast potential to address challenges in health care, agriculture, energy and the environment.

The Secretary of the Department of Science & Technology outlined the conclusions of the session on Autonomous Systems, Physical Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. The recommendations mainly focused on strengthening the 25 technology hubs established under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber‑Physical Systems, especially in preparation for the next phase of the mission commencing January 2028. The session called for building robust testbeds that link researchers and industry, developing India‑specific datasets, and fostering closer collaboration among academic institutions, start‑ups and industrial partners. It also emphasized patient capital for indigenous hardware, multidisciplinary hands‑on training, safety‑by‑design principles, early customer engagement and viable business models. The draft vision envisages validation of pilot technologies by 2030, their widespread deployment and manufacturing by 2035, and achieving global competitiveness in these technologies by 2047.

The Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) presented the key findings of the session on Agri‑technology, Food Systems and Nutrition. Discussions emphasized an integrated approach to the agri‑food system, bringing together multiple ministries, departments, research institutes and industry stakeholders. Participants called for leveraging gene‑bank resources to develop nutritious, climate‑resilient crop varieties, accelerating the application of frontier sciences such as genome editing, and strengthening collaboration between agricultural and medical research. The session also highlighted the need for appropriate regulatory frameworks (especially for public‑private partnerships), improved international cooperation through South‑South learning, and enhancing human capital in the agri‑food value chain. A Theory‑of‑Change approach was proposed to define the contributions of various departments toward a more sustainable, affordable and accessible food and nutrition ecosystem.

The closing session reiterated ESTIC 2026’s emphasis on strengthening India’s science, technology and innovation ecosystem through coordinated action among ministries, scientific institutions, industry and academia. With recommendations across advanced manufacturing, ocean science and marine technologies, biotechnology, autonomous systems, robotics, agriculture and nutrition, the conference provided a platform to identify priority areas for future research, technology development and practical applications. The discussions also reinforced the need to link scientific excellence with industrial uptake, national priorities and societal needs.

Dr. Jitendra Singh urged the scientific community to advance the vision presented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ensure that India’s scientific achievements translate into tangible outcomes for citizens, strengthen the country’s global leadership in science and technology, and contribute to realizing the ‘Developed India 2047’ commitment.