India to be an essential player in the next industrial revolution which will be biotechnology and AI driven: Dr Jitendra Singh

India's declaration as a key player in the next biotechnology and AI-driven industrial revolution marks a historic inflection point in the nation's scientific and economic trajectory. To understand the magnitude of this shift, we must first contextualize India's journey: during the IT-driven third industrial revolution of the 1990s and 2000s, India emerged as a global back-office but largely missed the hardware and foundational innovation wave. As Dr. Jitendra Singh candidly acknowledged, India was 'late in becoming a part of that' revolution. Today, however, the government is determined to ensure India doesn't just participate but leads the fourth industrial revolution — characterized by convergence of artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum computing, and space technologies. The policy architecture enabling this ambition is multi-layered and unprecedented. The BioE3 policy (Biotechnology for Economy, Employment and Environment), launched in 2024, positions India among the first few nations globally with a dedicated biotechnology framework. This aligns with Article 51A(h) of the Constitution — the fundamental duty to develop scientific temper, humanism, and the spirit of inquiry — while operationalizing the Directive Principle under Article 38(2) to minimize inequalities in status, facilities, and opportunities through science-led inclusive growth. Complementing BioE3 are the National Quantum Mission (approved April 2023, ₹6,003 crore outlay) and the India AI Mission (approved March 2024, ₹10,372 crore), creating a triad of frontier technology missions that signal strategic intent. The space sector exemplifies what enabling policy frameworks can achieve. The June 2020 reforms — creating IN-SPACe as an autonomous nodal agency, opening ISRO facilities to private players, and establishing NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) as the commercial arm — transformed a negligible space economy into a ~$9 billion powerhouse with 200+ startups. Companies like Skyroot Aerospace (first private rocket launch, Nov 2022) and Pixxel (hyperspectral imaging satellites) achieving unicorn status validate the model. The projection of $40-45 billion by 2033 would make space a significant GDP contributor, while Chandrayaan-3's success (Aug 2023) and Aditya-L1 (Sep 2023) demonstrate sovereign capability contributing to global scientific knowledge — water molecule detection on the Moon being a prime example. Governance reforms provide the bedrock. The repeal of nearly 2,000 obsolete laws since 2014, including colonial-era statutes, reflects the 'minimum government, maximum governance' philosophy. Specific social justice reforms — family pension rights for single daughters (2021), nomination rights for women government employees, and pension for families of employees dying before 10 years service — operationalize Articles 14, 15, and 39(a) on equality and livelihood security. The abolition of gazetted officer attestation for numerous documents embodies the trust-based governance model envisioned in the Preamble's 'dignity of the individual'. The nuclear sector's opening to private participation (Atomic Energy Act amendments under consideration) extends this logic to strategic sectors, though it demands rigorous safety frameworks under the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and international safeguards (IAEA). Looking ahead, the 'whole of government plus whole of nation' approach for Viksit Bharat 2047 requires solving three critical challenges: (1) skilling at scale — the National Education Policy 2020's emphasis on multidisciplinary STEM must translate into workforce readiness; (2) R&D expenditure — currently ~0.64% of GDP must approach 2% to match global leaders; (3) regulatory agility — sandbox frameworks for AI/biotech must balance innovation with ethics and biosafety. If addressed, India can transition from technology adopter to standard-setter, with its digital public infrastructure (UPI, Aadhaar, ONDC) becoming templates for the Global South — fulfilling the vision of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' in the technological domain.