Union Minister Jitendra Singh has called for stronger industry participation in translating scientific research into commercial ventures and scaling up indigenous technologies to strengthen India’s strategic sovereignty and achieve its development goals for 2047.
Addressing the 121st Annual Session of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) in New Delhi on Saturday, Singh emphasised closer collaboration among government, industry, academia, research institutions and startups to develop commercially viable enterprises and globally competitive solutions.
India’s next phase of technological growth must move beyond adopting technologies developed elsewhere towards creating indigenous solutions with global relevance, said Singh, who holds independent charge of the Science and Technology and Earth Sciences ministries.
He cited the expansion of India’s space ecosystem following policy reforms and increased private-sector participation in strategic technology areas as examples of the opportunities created by supportive policies and entrepreneurial initiative.
Highlighting progress under the National Quantum Mission, Singh said India had achieved 1,000 kilometres of quantum-secure communication in three years against an eight-year target of 2,000 kilometres. He stressed the strategic and security importance of quantum communication and the need to build domestic capabilities in frontier technologies.
India’s bioeconomy had grown from around $10 billion in 2014 to approximately $196 billion, with a target of reaching $300 billion by 2030, he said. The expanding biotechnology startup ecosystem demonstrated the potential of scientific innovation to create enterprises, strengthen domestic capabilities and generate economic value.
Singh said industry involvement should begin at the inception of research projects, helping scientists understand market requirements, identify technological needs and establish clear pathways to commercial deployment.
Industry bodies such as PHDCCI could connect researchers with businesses, facilitate investment and build partnerships to take innovations from laboratories to prototypes and market-ready products, he said.
Referring to the government’s Research, Development and Innovation initiative, the minister called for greater private-sector participation in research and development to accelerate the commercial application of scientific discoveries.
He encouraged businesses to invest more actively in research-led innovation and help create an ecosystem in which scientific excellence produces sustainable enterprises and globally competitive products.
Singh also highlighted the importance of indigenous technologies and reliable energy supplies for India’s ambitions in artificial intelligence, data infrastructure and advanced manufacturing.
Developing domestic capabilities in strategic and emerging technologies, supported by deeper collaboration between industry and scientific institutions, would be essential to technological self-reliance, he said.
India’s next leap would depend on new thinking, faster execution and the ability to scale successful innovations, Singh added, calling for stronger partnerships to expand the country’s innovation base and build the capabilities needed for 2047.
