SCIENTIFIC CAPABILITIES AS STRATEGIC ASSETS

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.

- KIRAN MAZUMDAR-SHAW

History ultimately judges leaders 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.

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 over $165 billion today. During the same period, the number of biotechnology startups has grown from fewer than 100 to more than 11,000, creating one of the world’s most vibrant biotech innovation ecosystems.