India’s Science Story Enters a New Phase: Bioeconomy, Space Startups, Weather Radars and Deep-Tech Growth

India’s science and technology ecosystem has entered a new phase of national development, with Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh highlighting twelve years of progress across biotechnology, space, weather forecasting, healthcare innovation, nuclear energy, deep-ocean technology and advanced research. Speaking at a press conference on “12 Years of Transformative Growth in Science, Technology and Innovation” at CSIR Headquarters in New Delhi, the Minister said that science has moved from laboratories into the daily lives of citizens and has become a central pillar of India’s development journey.

The most striking figure in the presentation was the rise of India’s bioeconomy. Dr Jitendra Singh said India’s bioeconomy has grown from nearly US$10 billion in 2014 to over US$190 billion today, with a target of US$300 billion by 2030. This expansion shows the growing role of biotechnology in healthcare, diagnostics, genomics, biopharmaceuticals, agriculture, industrial biotechnology and sustainable manufacturing.

Biotechnology has become one of the strongest examples of India’s science-led growth. The Minister pointed to indigenous innovations in healthcare, genomics, diagnostics and biopharmaceuticals, supported by policy frameworks such as the BioE3 Policy. The sector now connects scientific research with industry, startups, hospitals and manufacturing networks, giving India a stronger position in the global biotechnology landscape.

Healthcare technology was another major focus. India has made progress in areas such as next-generation antibiotics, affordable CAR-T cell therapy, genomics and precision medicine. These fields show how Indian science is moving toward high-value medical innovation, where research laboratories, hospitals, startups and public institutions can work together to address both Indian and global health challenges.

The transformation of CSIR was presented as a key part of this wider story. Dr Jitendra Singh said scientific institutions are now more closely connected with industry, startups, farmers and local communities. He highlighted the Aroma Mission, which has helped farmers, especially in Himalayan regions, take part in high-value agriculture. This is science working as a livelihood multiplier, linking laboratory knowledge with rural income generation.

CSIR’s steel slag road technology was cited as another example of practical science. The technology converts industrial waste into useful road-building material and has demonstrated better durability, lower maintenance costs and cost-effectiveness. This shows how scientific innovation can support infrastructure, sustainability and circular economy goals at the same time.

Weather forecasting has also seen major expansion. According to the Minister, India had 17 weather radars in 2014, compared with nearly 50 operational radars today, while another 50 radars are planned under Mission Mausam. This expansion has strengthened India’s ability to monitor rainfall, storms, lightning and extreme weather patterns with greater accuracy.

Forecasting coverage has grown from around 300 cities to nearly 1,700 locations. Services such as Nowcast now provide highly localised short-term forecasts that help citizens, farmers, aviation authorities, disaster-management agencies and local administrations prepare for weather events. This has direct value for agriculture, flood response, cyclone preparedness and public safety.

India’s space sector has become another symbol of scientific confidence. Dr Jitendra Singh said the number of space startups has grown from single digits to several hundred. The press release also notes that the space economy, currently around US$8 billion, is projected to reach US$45 billion. This growth reflects reforms that opened the space sector to private participation and created opportunities for startups, manufacturers, launch service providers, satellite firms and downstream data companies.

The success of Chandrayaan-3 remains a defining milestone in this transformation. India became the first country to successfully land near the Moon’s south pole, demonstrating scientific capability, mission discipline and engineering maturity. The Minister also pointed to future goals, including the Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035 and an Indian landing on the Moon by 2040.

The press conference also placed nuclear energy inside India’s future technology roadmap. Dr Jitendra Singh described the opening of the nuclear energy sector to private participation as a major reform that can attract investment, accelerate innovation and build capacity in strategic energy. This aligns with India’s long-term need for clean, reliable and high-density energy sources.

Deep-ocean technology also received attention. Officials highlighted progress under the Deep Ocean Mission, including indigenous technologies such as Matsya 6000 and Varaha. These programmes are important for seabed exploration, marine science, deep-sea resource assessment and India’s long-term ocean capability.

India’s wider deep-tech push includes landmark initiatives such as the Anusandhan National Research Foundation, National Quantum Mission, Research Development and Innovation Fund, National Supercomputing Mission and National Geospatial Policy. These programmes show that India is building research capacity across frontier areas where computing power, quantum technologies, geospatial systems and advanced innovation funding will shape future economic and strategic strength.

The broader message from the presentation is clear. India’s science and technology progress is now linked with national development, industrial competitiveness, strategic autonomy and citizen welfare. Biotechnology is expanding the health and bio-manufacturing economy. Space reforms are creating a startup-driven ecosystem. Weather radars are improving disaster preparedness. CSIR technologies are reaching roads, farms, industries and communities. Deep-ocean and quantum programmes are preparing India for the next generation of scientific competition.

This is the science story of a country moving from achievement to scale. The next challenge is to convert research strength into more manufacturing, more patents, more startups, more skilled jobs and more globally competitive technologies. The past twelve years have created momentum. The coming decade will decide how strongly India converts that momentum into Viksit Bharat 2047.