By 2030, India to be among top 3 nations in technology: Modi

Suresh Dharur

Tribune News Service

Tirupati (AP), January 3

India would be among the top three countries in the world in science and technology by 2030, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today.

Inaugurating the 104th Indian Science Congress in this temple town in Andhra Pradesh, he said the country was on course to become one of the most attractive destinations for the best talent in the world.

At present, India ranks sixth in the world with respect to peer-reviewed scientific publications and is growing at a rate of about 14 per cent as against the world average growth rate of about 4 per cent. “I am sure that our scientists will further meet the challenges of enhanced quality of basic research, its technology translation and its societal connect,” he told a gathering of scientists at the Srinivasa Auditorium in Sri Venkateswara University.

Over 18,000 delegates, including nine Nobel Laureates, scientists and policy makers from all over the world, are participating in the five-day annual event. The theme of this year’s meet is “Science and Technology for national development”. Pledging his government’s commitment to supporting different streams of scientific knowledge, ranging from fundamental science to applied science with emphasis on innovations, the Prime Minister hoped that India’s best scientific institutions would strengthen basic research in line with global practices.

Calling for a greater coordination among the research institutions, academia, industry and the ministries, he said, “Translating the basic knowledge into innovations, start-ups and industry will help us achieve inclusive and sustainable growth.” 

Pointing out how the science teams had contributed strongly to the strategic vision of the country and how the ongoing space programme had placed India in the top space-faring nations, he said, “While we excel globally, we also need to develop local solutions that fit our unique context. There is a need to develop appropriate micro-industry models for rural areas that use local resources and skills to meet local needs and generate local enterprise and employment.”

The Prime Minister also emphasised on addressing the rapid global rise of cyber-physical systems. “This has the potential to pose unprecedented challenges and stresses to our demographic dividend. But we can turn it into a huge opportunity by research, training and skilling in robotics, artificial intelligence, digital manufacturing, big data analysis, deep learning, quantum communication and Internet-of-Things,” he said.

Modi said there was a need to develop an inter-ministerial national mission in the cyber-physical systems to secure the future by creation of basic R&D infrastructure, manpower and skills.