As Prime Minister Narendra Modi completes a decade in office, it is an appropriate moment to reflect on a leadership journey that has sought to reshape India’s development trajectory and redefine its place in the world.
History ultimately judges leaders not by their intentions but by the institutions they build, the opportunities they create, and the confidence they inspire in a nation. By those measures, one of the defining features of the past decade has been a strategic belief in India’s ability to emerge as a global knowledge economy powered by science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.
What distinguishes this period is the recognition that scientific capability is not merely an academic pursuit; it is a strategic national asset. It underpins economic competitiveness, technological sovereignty, healthcare security, energy resilience and long-term national prosperity.
Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, science and technology have moved closer to the centre of India’s development agenda.
Biotechnology: From potential to global promise
Over the past decade, India’s bioeconomy has evolved from a promising sector into a powerful engine of growth. The vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat has been interpreted not as inward-looking self-sufficiency, but as the creation of globally competitive capabilities that enable India to innovate, manufacture and lead.
The numbers tell a compelling story. India’s bioeconomy has expanded from approximately $10 billion in 2014 to more than $165 billion today. During the same period, the number of biotechnology startups has grown from fewer than 100 to over 11,000, creating one of the world’s most vibrant biotech innovation ecosystems.
This growth has been supported by a series of forward-looking policy initiatives. The BioE3 Policy—focused on Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment—the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), and the ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation Fund are creating the institutional framework needed to translate scientific discovery into commercial and societal impact.
Equally important is the emergence of indigenous innovation across the healthcare value chain. The GenomeIndia Project, India’s first indigenous CAR-T cell therapies, advances in mRNA vaccine platforms, indigenous antibiotic development, successful gene therapy programmes, and the establishment of a National Biobank collectively demonstrate India’s growing scientific maturity.
The recently announced Biopharma SHAKTI initiative further strengthens this momentum by supporting biologics and biosimilars innovation, advanced manufacturing, clinical research, regulatory excellence, and specialised talent development.
Taken together, these initiatives reflect a coherent national strategy to position biotechnology as a major driver of economic growth, innovation and societal impact. If sustained with the same ambition and execution, they could propel India’s bioeconomy towards the $1 trillion milestone by 2047.
Building leadership in AI and deep tech
At a time when AI is rapidly becoming the defining technology of the 21st century, India has recognised that technological leadership cannot be outsourced. The launch of BharatGen, India’s first government-funded multilingual generative AI initiative, signals a determination to participate in the global AI race on India’s own terms while addressing the linguistic diversity that is uniquely Indian.
Beyond AI, India has also moved decisively into quantum technologies. The National Quantum Mission, backed by an investment exceeding ₹6,000 crore, reflects an understanding that quantum computing, communications and cybersecurity will profoundly influence future economic and strategic competitiveness.
These investments are helping lay the foundations for a new generation of deep-tech enterprises while strengthening India’s aspiration to emerge as a leading AI-powered and innovation-driven economy.
Strengthening strategic capabilities
Prime Minister Modi’s emphasis on long-term capability building is equally evident in sectors that are fundamental to national resilience.
In nuclear energy, India achieved a historic milestone with the first criticality of the 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam. This places India among a select group of nations possessing advanced Fast Breeder Reactor technology and marks an important step in the country’s long-term three-stage nuclear programme.
The nation’s space programme has evolved from demonstrating technological capability to pursuing ambitious missions that reflect growing scientific confidence. Significant progress under the Gaganyaan programme has brought India closer to human spaceflight, underscoring the country’s emergence as a serious player in global space exploration.
A nation shaping the future
Whether in biotechnology, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, nuclear energy or space exploration, the objective has been consistent: to create an India that innovates in India, develops in India, manufactures in India and competes with the very best in the world.
Prime Minister Modi’s most enduring contribution may not be any single programme or policy initiative. Rather, it is the confidence he has instilled in India’s ability to think big, aspire boldly and pursue global leadership in areas that will define the future.
As India advances towards the centenary of its independence, that belief in science, innovation and technological self-reliance may prove to be one of the most important foundations of a truly developed India—a Viksit Bharat that is not merely participating in the future, but helping to shape it.
The author is Executive Chairperson of Biocon.