Copyright thehindu
India is entering a decisive phase in its science and technology journey and the country’s goal is not just to expand research output, but to build an innovation ecosystem that is globally competitive, economically impactful, and aligned to national priorities, stated Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, 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 were designed to deepen capabilities, accelerate commercialisation to ensure that the country took a lead in shaping the technologies of the future, he said while speaking at the Future. The Network World Forum-2025 organised the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a non-profit that advances technology for the benefit of humanity by developing standards, and publishing technical information. “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 said. He further said the country has recorded significant progress in science and innovation, now ranking third globally in science and engineering publications and PhD output, with patent filings doubling in the last year. The country has also 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 that are driving this growth include the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), which is steering mission-mode research programmes such as a national AI initiative; the $1billion National Quantum Mission establishing four thematic hubs and supporting domestic quantum start-ups; and the National Mission on Cyber-Physical Systems, which has built 25 Technology Innovation Hubs that created 884 start-ups and enabled developments such as 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 shape India’s next phase of scientific competitiveness and economic growth, he added. Speaking on the occasion, Peter Vetter, president, Bell Labs Core Research and Bell Labs Fellow, outlined five major research directions: artificial intelligence, software-defined network infrastructure, next-generation radio/optical networks, quantum technologies, and space 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 said adding, the goal was not novelty for its own sake, but technology that was intelligent, resilient, and meaningful in how it connects people and systems. “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,” said Latif Ladid, chair, 5G World Alliance, and president, IPv6 Forum. Debabrata Das, project director of the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems and Advanced Communication Systems and Director of IIIT-Bangalore, said the ideas shared at the forum would shape research directions, innovation pathways, and global collaboration in the years ahead.
