Speaking at the India International Science Festival (IISF) 2025 in Panchkula, Haryana, Singh shared how the outlook towards India has changed globally in the last decade.
“The world has now acknowledged that India’s esteem has risen; there is now huge recognition of Indian talent. There is also a remarkable change in how the world views India and the country's youth,” Singh said.
“India is now a global success story with persistent milestones,” he added, citing the feats achieved in the fields of science, innovation, healthcare, and space.
The Minister stated that the country has “started living up to the global parameters and is being recognised on global benchmarks”.
“We were in the Fragile 5 economy in 2014, but are now among the top four globally. From just 350-400 startups, we have scaled up 1.75 lakh across the country. We are now ranked third globally in terms of startups. In the
Global Innovation Index (GII), we were ranked 80, but within a decade, we are in the 38th spot,” the Minister said.
He also mentioned that more than 55 per cent of patent applications in India are now filed by resident Indian innovators, a significant increase from previous years.
“While US’ Neil Amstong made the first landing on the Moon, ISRO's Chandrayan 3 was the first to detect water on the lunar surface, raising hopes for future habitation -- a milestone for which the world is hailing us,” the Minister said.
Similarly, in the biotech sector, India came out with the first DNA vaccine during the deadly Covid-19 pandemic. India has also emerged as a global leader in preventive healthcare, with the first gene therapy in the world for haemophilia, and the first indigenous antibiotic, he noted.
The Minister credited these to policy changes in the last 10 years and increasing collaboration with the private sector.
“These wonders happened due to changes in the approach towards innovation. I believe that we must have a strong linkage with the private sector,” Singh said.
Singh highlighted the essence of IISF 2025 through the ‘3 Cs’ -- “celebration, communication, and career”.
The MoS noted that “IISF has become a career-shaping platform for many youngsters -- helping them discover their hidden potential and hidden aptitudes.”
The four-day event, themed "Vigyan Se Samruddhi: for Aatmanirbhar Bharat," aims to bring together scientists, innovators, educators, students, industry leaders, Science Communicators, and policymakers on one platform to promote collaboration, creativity, and knowledge exchange.
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