India is getting into a decisive section in its science and expertise journey and the nation’s aim is not only to broaden analysis output, however to construct an innovation ecosystem that’s globally aggressive, economically impactful, and aligned to nationwide priorities, said Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, right here on Monday.
The new initiatives from the National Research Foundation for the Quantum and Cyber-Physical Systems Missions and now the ₹1 trillion R&D and Innovation Fund have been designed to deepen capabilities, speed up commercialisation to make sure that the nation took a lead in shaping the applied sciences of the long run, he mentioned whereas talking on the Future.
The Network World Forum-2025 organised the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a non-profit that advances expertise for the profit of humanity by growing requirements, and publishing technical data.
“We are building a science and innovation ecosystem that is future-ready, self-reliant, and globally influential as we move towards the vision of a developed India by 2047,” Mr. Karandikar mentioned.
He additional mentioned the nation has recorded important progress in science and innovation, now rating third globally in science and engineering publications and PhD output, with patent filings doubling within the final yr. The nation has additionally become the world’s third-largest start-up ecosystem, with over 1,70,000 start-ups and over 100 unicorns.
According to Mr. Karandikar, key initiatives which can be driving this development embrace the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), which is steering mission-mode analysis programmes comparable to a nationwide AI initiative; the $1billion National Quantum Mission establishing 4 thematic hubs and supporting home quantum start-ups; and the National Mission on Cyber-Physical Systems, which has constructed 25 Technology Innovation Hubs that created 884 start-ups and enabled developments comparable to multilingual RxJai LLM by IIT Bombay.
“Complementing these is the newly launched ₹1 trillion National R&D and Innovation Fund, aimed at boosting private-sector R&D in strategic deep-tech areas including semiconductors, 6G and future networks, quantum systems, space, robotics, climate and energy solutions, AI-driven healthcare and biomanufacturing, advanced medical devices, and digital agriculture,” he elaborated.
All these would form India’s subsequent section of scientific competitiveness and financial development, he added.
Speaking on the event, Peter Vetter, president, Bell Labs Core Research and Bell Labs Fellow, outlined 5 main analysis instructions: synthetic intelligence, software-defined community infrastructure, next-generation radio/optical networks, quantum applied sciences, and area communications.
“Our work spans AI, software systems, next-generation networks, quantum technologies, and even communication in space not as isolated breakthroughs, but as part of one continuous effort to solve real-world problems with science and engineering,” Mr. Vetter mentioned including, the aim was not novelty for its personal sake, however expertise that was clever, resilient, and significant in the way it connects folks and techniques.
“India is the second largest deployer of 5G over IPv6 in the world and now has a vibrant 6G research ecosystem. Join us to gain firsthand, in-depth knowledge and real-world experience from Indian innovators,” mentioned Latif Ladid, chair, 5G World Alliance, and president, IPv6 Forum.
Debabrata Das, venture director of the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems and Advanced Communication Systems and Director of IIIT-Bangalore, mentioned the concepts shared on the discussion board would form analysis instructions, innovation pathways, and international collaboration within the years forward.
Published – November 11, 2025 12:58 am IST