India to lead next biotech, AI-driven industrial revolution: Jitendra Singh

India will be an essential player in the next industrial revolution, which will be biotechnology and AI-driven, unlike the last industrial revolution, which was IT-driven and India was late in becoming a part of that, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh said on Sunday.

Speaking at a media conclave, he said India is now among the first few countries in the world to have a dedicated Biotechnology policy, that is BiOE3. We also have a National Quantum Mission, India AI Mission and have made rapid advances in Space and other frontier areas.

He said India’s space economy, which was earlier almost negligible, has grown to around $9 billion and is projected to reach $40–45 billion within the next eight to nine years.

The minister participated in an interaction with the media at the conclave, attended by technology developers, industry leaders and other stakeholders.

The discussion focused on India’s emergence as a global manufacturing and technology hub, the rapid pace of technological change, innovation, private-sector participation and the opportunities emerging in frontier sectors. The Minister also congratulated the winners of the Digital Appliance Awards.

He said India’s technological journey has undergone a significant transformation, with the country now operating against global benchmarks in several areas. Referring to India’s progress in space, he cited the Chandrayaan mission’s detection of evidence of water molecules on the Moon as an example of the country contributing to global scientific knowledge.

He said India had never lacked human talent or scientific capability, but what was required was an enabling policy environment that could translate these capabilities into outcomes.

The minister said the global economy is witnessing a gradual shift towards emerging domains such as biotechnology, circular economy, recycling and other technology-driven sectors alongside traditional manufacturing. He said the next phase of industrial transformation is increasingly likely to be driven by artificial intelligence and biotechnology.

India, he said, is already part of this transition and is among the few countries with a dedicated biotechnology policy. The Government’s BioE3 initiative, Biotechnology for Economy, Employment and Environment, is aimed at strengthening the biotechnology ecosystem. Biotechnology, he said, will increasingly influence medical science, agriculture and food production and create new opportunities for economic growth and employment.

Referring to the opening of the space sector to private participation in 2020, Dr Jitendra Singh said the decision has demonstrated the potential of an enabling policy framework to unlock capabilities within the country.

He said India’s space economy, earlier almost negligible, has grown to around $9 billion and is expanding rapidly, with projections of reaching $40-45 billion in the next eight to nine years.

The minister said the Government is increasingly bringing the private sector into areas that were earlier largely outside the scope of private enterprise. Referring to the opening of the nuclear sector to private players, he said the move creates new opportunities but also requires industry to prepare itself for emerging areas and develop the necessary capabilities.

The Minister said technology is also transforming access to education and opportunities, particularly for young people outside major metropolitan centres. Recalling his interaction with a student from a financially constrained family who had cleared IIT-JEE using digital learning resources, he said technology has democratised access to educational opportunities that were earlier difficult to obtain.

He also said the growth of India’s start-up ecosystem demonstrates that innovation is no longer confined to major cities, with many young entrepreneurs emerging from smaller towns. The ability to access and effectively use technology, he said, is creating new opportunities for young Indians.