India Emphasizes Commercialization of Innovations for Strategic Sovereignty by 2047; Dr. Jitendra Singh Seeks Industry Cooperation

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh, has urged the industry to accelerate the pace of innovation and transform scientific research into commercial enterprises. Addressing the 121st annual session of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) in New Delhi, he stated that expanding India's technical capabilities is essential to achieving national goals for the year 2047 and strengthening the country's strategic sovereignty.

The Minister emphasized that there must be strong synergy between the government, industry, academia, research institutions, and startups to convert scientific capabilities into indigenous technologies and globally competitive solutions. He remarked that India must now focus on developing indigenous solutions relevant on a global scale rather than merely adopting technologies from other countries. He cited the increasing participation of the private sector in the space sector as a positive example.

Discussing the progress of the National Quantum Mission, Dr. Jitendra Singh revealed that India had set a target of 2,000 kilometers for quantum-secure communication over eight years, of which a milestone of 1,000 kilometers has been achieved in just three years. He highlighted the strategic importance of quantum communication and the necessity of developing domestic capabilities.

Referring to India's achievements in the bio-economy sector, he noted that its size was approximately 10 billion US dollars in 2014, which has now grown to nearly 196 billion US dollars. The government aims to increase this to 300 billion US dollars by the year 2030. He described the expansion of startups in the biotechnology sector as evidence of emerging opportunities in life sciences and advanced research.

Dr. Jitendra Singh suggested that industry participation should be ensured from the very beginning of research projects so that scientists can gain a clear understanding of market needs and technical requirements. He called upon organizations like PHDCCI to act as a bridge between researchers and businesses and to facilitate investment.

Finally, the Minister emphasized the importance of indigenous technologies and a reliable energy supply for Artificial Intelligence (AI), data infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing. He stated that developing domestic capabilities in strategic and emerging technologies is imperative for India's technical self-reliance.