Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave 2026 on 27 October 2026 in New Delhi. He highlighted India's progress in critical technologies, including the successful first criticality of the indigenous 500-Megawatt Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor. The Prime Minister stated that over the past year, a total of 24,000 crore rupees has been committed to Research and Development, split equally between the government and private investors. He urged researchers and startups to set concrete three-year targets for developing new technologies and products.
Key points
- Total of 24,000 crore rupees committed to R&D over the past year (12,000 crore from government, 12,000 crore from private).
- Annual patent filings grew from under 50,000 ten years ago to nearly 1.5 lakh last year.
- Indigenous 500-Megawatt Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor successfully achieved First Criticality.
- Researchers and startups urged to set concrete three-year targets for prototypes or products.
When it applies
- Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave 2026
- birth anniversary of Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha
Who it affects
- government and private investors