PM Modi to inaugurate emerging Science and Technology innovation conclave today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today inaugurate the first Emerging Science and Technology Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025 in New Delhi, where he is also set to launch a landmark ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme Fund aimed at accelerating India’s transition into a global hub for science and technology.

Billed as a flagship annual event in the field of innovation, ESTIC 2025 will bring together over 3,000 participants from academia, research institutions, industry, startups, and government, alongside Nobel laureates, eminent scientists, and policymakers, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement.

Under the theme “Imagine, Innovate, Inspire,” the three-day conclave seeks to strengthen collaboration between academia, industry, and government. It will feature high-level panels, keynote sessions, and technology showcases designed to promote joint research initiatives, technology transfer, and partnerships that align science and innovation with India’s developmental goals.

The newly launched RDI Scheme Fund aims to stimulate private sector-driven R&D investments by offering long-term, low-interest financing, viability gap funding, and co-investment opportunities. This blended funding model seeks to reduce the risk associated with early-stage innovation and attract corporate and venture capital participation. It will also promote public–private partnerships to co-create market-ready solutions in critical sectors such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum technologies, green energy, biotechnology, and defence manufacturing.

Officials said the scheme could transform India’s research landscape by scaling up national R&D capacity, nurturing deep-tech startups, and fostering synergy among universities, industries, and government institutions. By encouraging applied and translational research, the fund is expected to help India evolve from a knowledge consumer to a knowledge creator, advancing the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

Deliberations at the conclave will focus on 11 thematic areas, including advanced materials, digital communications, emerging agriculture technologies, health and medical innovation, and space science. Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said ESTIC would help “identify gaps, forge partnerships, and co-create pathways” that connect science and innovation with national priorities.

Singh also reviewed preparations for the India International Science Festival (IISF-2025), scheduled at Panjab University, Chandigarh, from December 6–9, which will celebrate India’s scientific achievements across academia, industry, and startups.