PM Modi recalls nuclear-tests, says India looks at tech for progress, not to assert itself

Modi said measures taken since 2014 have resulted in big changes in the field of science and technology. “The Start-up India Campaign, Digital India, and National Education Policy have helped India gain new heights in the field…. The number of patents has increased from 4,000 per year 10 years ago to more than 30,000 today. Registration of designs has grown from 10,000 to 15,000 in this period. The number of trademarks has grown from less than 70,000 to more than 2,50,000,” he said.

On the occasion, Modi laid the foundation stone for multiple projects related to scientific and technological advancement worth more than Rs 5,800 crore. These include Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory in Hingoli, Maharashtra; Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Jatni, Odisha; and the Platinum Jubilee Block of Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai.

The PM also dedicated to the nation projects such as the Fission Molybdenum-99 Production Facility in Mumbai, Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Plant in Visakhapatnam, National Hadron Beam Therapy Facility, Radiological Research Unit and the Women and Children Cancer Hospital Building in Navi Mumbai.

During the programme, he inaugurated the expo showcasing scientific and technological advancements made in India.

Talking about LIGO-India, he called LIGO one of the foremost science and technology initiatives of the 21st century. The observatory will bring new opportunities for research for the students and scientists, he said.

He said more than 10,000 ATAL tinkering labs in 700 districts have become innovation nurseries. More importantly, he noted, 60% of these labs are in government-run schools and in rural areas. Modi pointed out that more than 75 lakh students are working on more than 12 lakh innovation projects in these labs.

The PM emphasised that the number of tech incubation centres in the country has grown from roughly 150 in 2014 to more than 650 today, and that India’s Global Innovation Index Rank has risen from 81 to 40.

He also pointed out that the country had only 100 start-ups in 2014, which has gone up to more than 1 lakh recognised start-ups, making India the largest start-up ecosystem in the world.