India's moment in science and innovation has arrived: Minister

New Delhi, April 22 (IANS) Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Tuesday called for greater synergy between innovation and industry for a sustainable startup ecosystem.

In a spirited call for greater synergy between innovation and industry for a sustainable startup ecosystem, Dr Singh said the time has come for Indian science to break silos and integrate with stakeholders including industry, investors, and the public.

Speaking at the ‘Startup Conclave’ in Hyderabad, Dr Singh highlighted that India’s moment in science and innovation has arrived.

Addressing a gathering of scientists, entrepreneurs, students, and policymakers, the minister lauded the rare joint initiative by the three Hyderabad-based CSIR labs, noting that “such an integrated scene of science and governance under one roof” reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of collaborative and inclusive innovation.

The Minister made a strong pitch for dismantling the outdated image of government labs as “ghost-haunted places where frogs are dissected,” narrating how villagers once misunderstood the work of CSIR labs due to lack of public outreach. “Science should not be confined behind gates. If your domain is agriculture, invite the farmers in. Let them see what you’re doing,” he asserted.

Dr Singh underlined the need for early and deep industry involvement in research and innovation, pointing to the success of CSIR’s Aroma Mission, where over 3,000 youth, many of them non-graduates, became successful agri-entrepreneurs with minimum annual earnings of Rs 60 lakh.

Referring to India’s rapidly growing biotechnology sector, the minister recalled that in 2014, there were only 50 biotech startups. Today, the number exceeds 10,000.

“It’s not just numbers. We’ve moved from $10 billion to nearly $170 billion in biotech valuation. This is not just growth, it’s a revolution,” he said, citing the government’s dedicated policies like Bio-E3 and the National Quantum Mission.

The minister also announced plans to open up the nuclear sector, noting that a new realism has replaced the secrecy that once shrouded scientific endeavours. “When Google can peek into our lives, what’s the point of denying access to potential collaborators in the name of confidentiality?” he asked.

—IANS

na/