India To Play Key Role In Next Industrial Revolution Driven By Biotechnology And AI: Jitendra Singh

India is poised to become an essential player in the next industrial revolution, which is expected to be driven primarily by biotechnology and artificial intelligence, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Sunday.

Addressing a media conclave attended by technology developers, industry leaders and other stakeholders, Singh said India had been late to participate in the previous industrial revolution, which was largely driven by information technology. However, he said the country is now well positioned to shape the next phase of technological transformation.

“India will be an essential player in the next industrial revolution which will be biotechnology and AI driven,” Singh said, highlighting the country’s growing capabilities in emerging technologies.

India Expands Frontier Technology Capabilities

Singh said India is among the few countries with a dedicated biotechnology policy through the BioE3 initiative. The country has also launched the National Quantum Mission and IndiaAI Mission.

At the same time, progress in space and other frontier sectors has strengthened India’s position in the global technology landscape.

Singh said India’s space economy, which was once almost negligible, has grown to around $9 billion. He added that it is projected to reach $40 billion to $45 billion over the next eight to nine years.

He attributed much of this transformation to policy reforms that opened the space sector to private participation in 2020.

The emergence of Indian space start-ups, including companies that have developed rockets and achieved unicorn status within a few years, demonstrates the country’s technological and entrepreneurial potential, he said.

Biotechnology And AI To Drive Economic Change

Singh said India’s scientific and technological journey had undergone a major transformation, with the country now competing against global benchmarks in several fields.

Citing the Chandrayaan mission’s detection of evidence of water molecules on the Moon, he said Indian scientists were increasingly contributing to global scientific knowledge.

According to Singh, India has never lacked scientific talent or human resources. Instead, the country needed an enabling policy environment capable of turning those capabilities into tangible outcomes.

The global economy, he said, is gradually shifting towards emerging sectors such as biotechnology, artificial intelligence, the circular economy and recycling, alongside traditional manufacturing.

Biotechnology is likely to have an increasing impact on healthcare, agriculture and food production. It could also create new opportunities for employment and economic growth.

Singh further highlighted the Government’s efforts to bring private industry into sectors that were traditionally dominated by the public sector. Referring to the opening of the nuclear sector to private participation, he said the move would create new opportunities, while industry would need to develop the capabilities required to operate in emerging areas.

Technology Expands Access To Opportunities

Singh said India has limited time to prepare for opportunities linked to its 2047 vision. Every sector, he added, would have to evolve to strengthen the country’s position in the global economy.

The private sector must also be prepared to participate in new and emerging areas, he said.

Technology is helping democratise access to education and opportunities, particularly for young people in smaller towns and cities, according to Singh.

Recalling his interaction with a student from a financially constrained family who cleared the IIT-JEE examination using digital learning resources, he said technology had made educational opportunities accessible to sections of society that previously faced significant barriers.

India’s start-up ecosystem also reflects this broader transformation, Singh said. Young entrepreneurs are increasingly emerging from smaller cities rather than only from major metropolitan centres.

Government And Industry Urged To Work Together

Singh also highlighted government efforts to simplify governance by removing outdated laws and procedures.

He said nearly 2,000 obsolete laws had been repealed. Several reforms had also expanded rights and benefits for citizens, including changes related to family pension rights for single daughters, nomination rights for women government employees and pension provisions for families of employees who die before completing 10 years of service.

He also referred to the removal of the requirement for gazetted officer attestation for a large number of documents. Singh described the measure as reflecting greater trust in citizens and young people.

For India to realise its 2047 ambitions, Singh said the country must move beyond being a follower. It must instead develop capabilities and innovations that can be adopted by other nations.

He called for closer cooperation between the Government and industry, saying earlier scepticism between the public and private sectors must give way to greater collaboration, mutual learning and the adoption of effective practices.

A “whole of government plus whole of nation” approach, Singh said, would be essential for India to achieve its broader developmental, technological and economic goals.

The minister also congratulated the winners of the Digital Appliance Awards during the event.