Modi Sets 3-Year Deadline for Tech Breakthroughs at ESTIC 2026
PM Narendra Modi urges scientists and deep-tech startups to deliver scalable outcomes within three years at the ESTIC 2026 conclave.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has officially inaugurated the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Addressing a massive gathering of global minds, the Prime Minister issued a clear call to action: the scientific community and deep-tech startups must move beyond theory and deliver measurable, scalable technological outcomes within a three-year operational window.
The event, which kicked off on October 27, serves as a high-powered intersection of research and industry. More than 5,000 global delegates—including policymakers, scientific leaders, and entrepreneurs—converged in the capital to discuss how foundational research can be transformed into industrial-scale solutions for the public good.
From Labs to Real-World Impact
In his inaugural address, PM Modi emphasized that scientific breakthroughs cannot remain confined to laboratory settings. He urged researchers and young innovators to focus on solving real-world problems, thereby strengthening national self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed India's ambition to lead the world in several frontier domains, specifically highlighting:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Quantum Technologies
- Advanced Materials
- Biotechnology
India as a Global Co-Creator
Adding to the vision, Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, noted a fundamental shift in India's global standing. He stated that India is transitioning from being a mere consumer of technology to becoming a "future-ready global co-creator" of scientific solutions.
Minister Singh provided a striking statistic on the growth of the Indian startup ecosystem, noting that it has exploded from roughly 400 startups in 2014 to over 2.3 lakh today. Remarkably, 50 to 60 per cent of these ventures are emerging from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, signaling a democratization of technological entrepreneurship across the country.
Focus on Biotechnology and Genetic Diversity
The Minister also pointed toward India's unique genetic and phenotypic diversity as a goldmine for biotechnology. He called for the strengthening of domestic capabilities in:
- Gene synthesis
- Systems biology
- Nuclear medicine
He further mentioned that legislative reforms, such as the SHANTI Act, are designed to accelerate progress in these critical fields.
Bridging the Gap: Research and Policy
Ajay K. Sood, the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, stressed the urgency of aligning basic research with industrial scale-up and regulatory frameworks. He outlined 12 core thematic priority domains for ESTIC, which include:
- Generative and autonomous AI
- Quantum communication
- Semiconductor fabrication
- Advanced manufacturing
- The Deep Ocean Mission
Insights from a Nobel Laureate
The conclave also featured high-level academic contributions, including a plenary talk by 2017 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, Joachim Frank of Columbia University. Professor Frank delved into the complexities of cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM), explaining its role in target discovery and drug design.
His presentation detailed the computational and mathematical frameworks used for high-resolution, single-particle Cryo-EM, demonstrating how 3D visualization of macromolecular complexes can revolutionize rational drug-design workflows and the investigation of biological targets.