Trending

ESTIC 2026: PM Modi asks scientists for measurable results within three years

By /

ESTIC 2026, the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave, opened at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on 27 October 2026 with more than 5,000 global delegates, including scientific leaders, policymakers and deep-tech startups, according to the Ministry of Science and Technology.

ESTIC 2026: Photograph released by PIB from the inaugural day of the conclave at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi
Photograph released by PIB from the inaugural day of the conclave at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi Photo: PIB (Government of India, free to use with credit).

What PM Modi said at ESTIC 2026

In his inaugural address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on scientists, researchers and young innovators to deliver concrete, measurable and scalable technological outcomes within a three-year operational horizon, the ministry said. He said breakthroughs should move beyond laboratories to solve real-world problems, strengthen self-reliance under Atmanirbhar Bharat and advance human welfare. The address also reaffirmed India’s aim of setting global benchmarks in frontier areas, including artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, advanced materials and biotechnology. The day included two Nobel Laureate plenary talks, three parallel technical sessions, a startup exhibition, a poster track and an evening panel discussion. The ministry said the focus across the day was on linking foundational research with industrial scale-up and public purpose, and on technologies that strengthen India’s capabilities and contribute to global welfare.

Key Facts

  • Event: ESTIC 2026, Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi
  • Opened: 27 October 2026
  • Delegates: more than 5,000
  • Startups: about 400 (2014) to over 2.3 lakh today
  • Thematic domains: 12

Jitendra Singh on deep-tech startups at Bharat Mandapam

Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, said India was shifting from being a consumer of technologies to a co-creator of frontier solutions. He said the startup ecosystem had grown from about 400 startups in 2014 to more than 2.3 lakh today, and that an estimated 50 to 60 per cent of them were based in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. He called for stronger domestic capability in gene synthesis, systems biology and nuclear medicine, and referred to the SHANTI Act in that context. Principal Scientific Adviser Prof Ajay K Sood set out ESTIC’s 12 core thematic domains, naming areas such as quantum communication, generative AI, semiconductor fabrication and the Deep Ocean Mission. He also described India’s genetic and phenotypic diversity as an important resource for biotechnology.

Nobel Laureate talks and technical sessions

Prof Joachim Frank of Columbia University, the 2017 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, spoke on cryo-electron microscopy in drug design. Sir Richard J Roberts, the 1993 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, spoke on split genes and frontiers in the life sciences. An advanced manufacturing session was chaired by CSIR Director General Dr N Kalaiselvi, with a keynote by former DRDO chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy. A session on generative and autonomous AI, chaired by IndiaAI chief executive Saurabh Vijay, discussed homegrown large language models, high-performance computing access under IndiaAI and frameworks for safe deployment. MeitY Secretary S Krishnan was among the speakers. Dr Jitendra Singh also opened the startup exhibition and poster track, which featured deep-tech research displays, startup prototypes and interactive poster presentations for investors, researchers and policymakers.

Why It Matters: The three-year target signals that government science funding will increasingly be judged on usable results, which matters for researchers, startups and industry partners.

Also on TrendDesh: Science on Wheels: IIT Mandi takes hands-on science to 50 Himachal Pradesh schools · Gyan Bharatam: India and National Library of France sign pact to digitise Indic manuscripts

Source: PIB: ESTIC 2026 inaugural day · PIB: DoT session at ESTIC 2026 · Department of Science and Technology

Share

Today’s News 29 Oct 2026 · 19 stories

  1. Artemis III: NASA stacks SLS core stage with boosters at Kennedy ahead of tanking test1Artemis III: NASA stacks SLS core stage with boosters at Kennedy ahead of tanking testOct 29, 2026
  2. Artemis Accords: Vietnam becomes the 78th nation to sign, NASA says2Artemis Accords: Vietnam becomes the 78th nation to sign, NASA saysOct 29, 2026
  3. Ocean carbon sink has weakened by about six per cent due to climate change, UN report warns3Ocean carbon sink has weakened by about six per cent due to climate change, UN report warnsOct 29, 2026
  4. Luke Lindberg, new WFP chief, says ending conflict is the top way to cut world hunger4Luke Lindberg, new WFP chief, says ending conflict is the top way to cut world hungerOct 29, 2026
  5. Cuba embargo: UN General Assembly backs end for 34th time, but support falls to 20-year low5Cuba embargo: UN General Assembly backs end for 34th time, but support falls to 20-year lowOct 29, 2026
  6. El Obeid: UN investigators say Sudan civilians face drone strikes and mass arrests6El Obeid: UN investigators say Sudan civilians face drone strikes and mass arrestsOct 29, 2026
  7. Jaipur food safety raid: 3,180 kg of old raisins destroyed, 1,018 kg black pepper seized7Jaipur food safety raid: 3,180 kg of old raisins destroyed, 1,018 kg black pepper seizedOct 29, 2026
  8. Women journalists in conflict zones face rising online abuse, Maria Ressa tells UN8Women journalists in conflict zones face rising online abuse, Maria Ressa tells UNOct 29, 2026
  9. Rajasthan panchayat election: Jaipur district records 69.41% turnout in second phase9Rajasthan panchayat election: Jaipur district records 69.41% turnout in second phaseOct 29, 2026
  10. Ebola cases in DR Congo pass 10,000 as WHO calls for sustained response10Ebola cases in DR Congo pass 10,000 as WHO calls for sustained responseOct 29, 2026
  11. Sodium-ion battery pilot: Jaipur Discom to test storage at transformer level, first in India11Sodium-ion battery pilot: Jaipur Discom to test storage at transformer level, first in IndiaOct 29, 2026
  12. Asian Para Games 2026: SAI Gandhinagar honours medallists who won 16 of India’s 114 medals12Asian Para Games 2026: SAI Gandhinagar honours medallists who won 16 of India’s 114 medalsOct 29, 2026
  13. RUHS white coat ceremony: Chief Secretary tells new MBBS students there is no shortcut13RUHS white coat ceremony: Chief Secretary tells new MBBS students there is no shortcutOct 29, 2026
  14. India-EU FTA: Vice-President seeks European Parliament support to sign the deal this year14India-EU FTA: Vice-President seeks European Parliament support to sign the deal this yearOct 29, 2026
  15. AIIMS Nagpur holds SANKRAMAN 2026 medical education programme on infectious diseases15AIIMS Nagpur holds SANKRAMAN 2026 medical education programme on infectious diseasesOct 29, 2026
  16. Clean sport in classrooms: India and UNESCO sign MoU for values toolkit in 13 languages16Clean sport in classrooms: India and UNESCO sign MoU for values toolkit in 13 languagesOct 29, 2026
  17. ESTIC 2026: PM Modi asks scientists for measurable results within three years17ESTIC 2026: PM Modi asks scientists for measurable results within three yearsOct 29, 2026 · Reading now
  18. INS Sahyadri reaches Busan for India-South Korea naval exercise18INS Sahyadri reaches Busan for India-South Korea naval exerciseOct 29, 2026
  19. Cyclone Arnab weakens into a deep depression after Andhra landfall; NHAI clears highways19Cyclone Arnab weakens into a deep depression after Andhra landfall; NHAI clears highwaysOct 29, 2026

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top