Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2026

GS Paper: GS-III (Science and Technology, Indigenisation, Nuclear Energy, Economy) |

Source: The Hindu | The Indian Express

Why in News?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated ESTIC 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. He stressed measurable research outcomes, indigenous technology and the role of science in development. Scientists, Nobel laureates, industry leaders and startups attended.

Key Themes

•       Targets, not just talk: researchers and entrepreneurs were encouraged to name technologies, prototypes, pilots or products they can deliver in the next three years for Viksit Bharat.

•       Shift from adopter to creator: examples cited were Chandrayaan's landing near the lunar south pole, Mangalyaan and satellite docking (space); COVID-19 vaccines (health); Indian AI models and chips reaching global markets (semiconductors and AI); fast breeder reactor technology (nuclear); and batteries using Indian raw materials.

•       Sustaining progress needs research investment, skilled people, industrial capacity and commercialisation.

Research Funding and the Lab-to-Market Gap

•       The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) is meant to strengthen research and innovation, and the conclave stressed speeding up its work.

•       A commitment of Rs 1 lakh crore under the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund was highlighted.

•       About Rs 12,000 crore is committed to technologies ready to move from labs to market, matched by private-sector commitment, for a total of about Rs 24,000 crore. This targets the "valley of death" between research and products.

•       Patent applications were said to have risen from about 50,000 to 1.5 lakh, a sign of a growing innovation ecosystem.

AI and Scientific Judgement; Nuclear Energy

•       AI: it speeds up routine tasks and helps analyse complex problems, but raises concerns about scientific independence and reliability of AI-generated results. It should support, not constrain, independent thinking. Verification, questioning assumptions and accuracy standards must stay.

•       Nuclear: the 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) has reached first criticality, a major step for indigenous nuclear technology and long-term energy strategy.

Science for Society and Analysis

•       Progress should be judged by practical benefit, with priorities in health, agriculture, education and employment, and disaster mitigation. This needs collaboration among institutions, startups, industry and government.

•       Challenges: India's R&D spending is still low as a share of GDP (about 0.6-0.7%), private R&D share is small, and translating research into products is slow. Claims of figures such as patent growth should be checked against official data.