In an unique interview with ETV Bharat in the course of the two-day Research, Industry, Start-up and Entrepreneurship (RISE) Conclave 2026 in Bengaluru, Karnataka Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted India’s transformation from a serious defence importer to a world exporter. Sharing insights on the nation’s speedy strides in science, know-how, and defence, Dr Singh stated the central authorities was engaged on bold targets for India’s area program, together with an Indian-crewed lunar touchdown by 2040.
Excerpts:
ETV Bharat (ETB): The Department of Science And Technology (DST) has launched many new packages lately, together with industry-academia partnerships and tech investments. What do you suppose is India’s largest achievement in science innovation thus far, and the way will we measure success within the subsequent few years?
Dr Jitendra Singh (JS): I consider one of many largest achievements of the previous decade has been the best way science, know-how, innovation, and entrepreneurship have turn out to be integral to India’s nationwide improvement agenda. Much of the credit score for this transformation goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has persistently positioned science, know-how, analysis, and start-ups on the centre of policymaking and nation-building.
Whether it’s Digital India, digital well being initiatives, area reforms, landmark missions, or rising know-how programmes, virtually each main nationwide initiative at the moment rests on a robust scientific and technological basis. Science is now not confined to laboratories; it has turn out to be a part of mainstream governance and public discourse. A very important achievement has been connecting the widespread citizen to India’s scientific and technological journey.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh chatting with ETV Bharat’s Anubha Jain at RISE Conclave (ETV Bharat)
Missions equivalent to Chandrayaan-3 and Gaganyaan have generated a way of satisfaction and participation throughout the nation. People at the moment really feel a higher sense of possession in India’s technological progress, mirrored within the rising curiosity amongst college students, entrepreneurs, start-ups, and strange residents in fields equivalent to area know-how, AI, biotechnology, and innovation. We are absolutely aligned with the timelines laid out by the Prime Minister. Our goal is to determine the Bharatiya Antariksha Station by 2035 and to realize an Indian-crewed lunar touchdown by 2040.
This rising public engagement was additionally evident throughout Operation Sindoor, which highlighted how trendy warfare more and more depends on superior applied sciences quite than direct bodily confrontation alone. From atomic power and space-based capabilities to strategic methods, the operation demonstrated India’s technological power and strengthened confidence in our indigenous capabilities. It showcased to each our residents and the worldwide group that India possesses the scientific and technological experience wanted to handle complicated nationwide safety challenges.
As a consequence, indigenous defence gear and know-how platforms developed in India are gaining growing recognition globally, with a number of nations exhibiting curiosity in procuring Indian-made methods. This displays India’s emergence as a technologically succesful, self-reliant nation and a reputable supplier of superior options.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh at RISE Conclave (ETV Bharat)
From achievements in area exploration to advances in digital public infrastructure and indigenous applied sciences, India has established itself as a nation able to delivering world-class innovation. Most importantly, the widespread citizen now recognises that scientific progress just isn’t an summary idea; it’s immediately linked to nationwide safety, financial development, high quality of life, and India’s standing on the earth. To me, that is without doubt one of the most significant achievements of India’s science and innovation ecosystem.
ETB: With bold targets like Gaganyaan and a Moon touchdown, how is the federal government balancing investments amid ISRO’s latest setbacks? What benchmarks ought to Indians use to guage if ISRO is on observe to steer globally within the subsequent decade?
JS: I’d view such cases not as setbacks, however as studying experiences. Every main area programme on the earth has encountered challenges alongside the best way, and these are sometimes important for strengthening future missions. What is necessary is how rapidly and successfully classes are absorbed and utilized.
If you have a look at India’s general document, our success charge in area missions compares very favourably with that of main space-faring nations. In truth, India achieved a number of milestones, equivalent to reaching Mars on its very first try, which many superior nations couldn’t accomplish. This displays not solely technological functionality and statistical document, but in addition distinctive effectivity and innovation.
As far because the PSLV is anxious, sure technical points had been recognized and addressed. The obligatory corrective measures have already been taken, and I’m assured that the programme will quickly be again on observe, persevering with its lengthy and distinguished document of success.
We have 18 launches deliberate this 12 months, lots of them involving private-sector participation, and that momentum stays unchanged. Those who’re a part of the area ecosystem -scientists, {industry} companions, and traders – perceive that occasional setbacks are a part of the method. They see them as studying experiences quite than failures. Therefore, the dedication to India’s area journey stays as robust as ever.
ETB: With rising non-public area participation, what are the federal government’s prime priorities to develop India’s industrial area financial system?
JS: The transformation started about 5 years in the past when the area sector was opened as much as non-public participation. Since then, India’s area ecosystem has expanded quickly, rising from only a handful of start-ups to greater than 400 at the moment. We began with an area financial system of about $9 billion, and the size of ascent has been so outstanding that the sector is now projected to develop right into a $40–45 billion financial powerhouse over the following decade. This signifies that India’s area programme is now not confined to scientific achievement alone; it’s rising as a serious driver of financial development and innovation.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh talking at RISE Conclave (ETV Bharat)
On one hand, landmark missions equivalent to Chandrayaan-3, and several other upcoming launches together with Gaganyaan have established India as one of many world’s main space-faring nations. However, what typically goes unnoticed is that India is maybe among the many few nations which have efficiently leveraged area know-how on a big scale for infrastructure improvement and governance. Initiatives equivalent to PM Gati Shakti, SVAMITVA, and AMRUT are powered by geospatial and satellite tv for pc applied sciences, enabling higher planning, real-time monitoring, improved transparency, and extra environment friendly implementation of improvement initiatives. In this sense, India just isn’t solely excelling in area exploration but in addition harnessing area know-how to remodel governance and nation-building.
Insights from RISE Conclave
During the inaugural session of the RISE conclave, the Minister stated in his keynote deal with that the true power of India’s innovation ecosystem lies within the convergence of Research, Innovation, Start-ups and Entrepreneurship (RISE).
“The long-term growth of start-ups depends on a strong foundation of research, innovation, technological advancement and industry-academia collaboration,” he stated.
Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s imaginative and prescient that catalysed the start-up motion in 2015, Dr Singh famous that India has since emerged because the world’s third-largest start-up ecosystem, with over 2.3 lakh start-ups producing almost 25 lakh jobs. Significantly, virtually half of those start-ups are positioned in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, reflecting the widening attain of innovation throughout the nation, he added.
Highlighting India’s rising analysis capabilities, he stated the nation has moved from seventh to 3rd place globally in PhD output and is aspiring to succeed in the second place. He additionally pointed to India’s rising analysis impression, noting that Indian publications accounted for almost 10 per cent of worldwide citations in a 2025 evaluation.
Singh additional added that India’s worth addition and financial development by 2047 will come from sectors that stay comparatively underexplored, together with area, coastal assets, the Himalayan bioeconomy, and aromatics.
Dr N. Kalaiselvi, Secretary, DSIR and Director General, CSIR, stated that the work being carried out at CSIR–Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), Palampur, the place applied sciences have been developed for the indigenous cultivation of crops equivalent to asafoetida (hing), whereas efforts are additionally underway to develop climate-resilient forms of tulips and different high-value floriculture merchandise.
“Innovations involving monk fruit, peonies, and other Himalayan biodiversity resources are creating new opportunities for farmers and entrepreneurs. Through collaborations between CSIR and other research institutions, several technologies are being developed to make these crops more sustainable, climate-resilient, commercially viable, and available throughout the year, thereby unlocking the economic potential of region-specific resources,” he stated.
Dr Narayanan highlighted the speedy development of India’s area ecosystem, noting that by 2026, over 120 main firms had invested almost USD 350 billion within the sector. He emphasised the federal government’s assist by inter-agency collaborations, together with ISRO’s partnerships with the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) on lunar applied sciences, the Sree Chitra Institute on area medication, and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) on microgravity experiments.
He famous that ISRO has thus far carried out 105 launch missions and deployed 135 satellites, with important contributions from CSIR and the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) throughout just about each main mission. He additionally underscored the broader societal advantages of area applied sciences in communication, meals safety, catastrophe administration, and nationwide improvement.
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