Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India is moving ahead in every field to emerge as a tech leader, but the country does not consider technology as a medium for dominance, and wants to use it to achieve faster economic growth and sustainable development goals.

He was addressing a programme to mark the National Technology Day, 2023, at Pragati Maidan. The programme marked the commencement of the 25th year celebrations of the Day, being held from 11 to 14 May.

Modi said on this day, India’s scientists achieved a stupendous feat in Pokhran which made the entire nation proud. “I can never forget the day when Atal Ji made the announcement of India’s successful Nuclear Testing,” he said. The test not only helped India prove its scientific capabilities, but also gave a boost to India’s global stature, the Prime Minister said.

The prime minister said if technology was employed for social advantage, it could be a means for empowerment of society, and a way for social justice and removal of social inequalities. There was a time when carrying credit or debit cards was a status symbol, he said. Today, UPI has become the new normal, and is used even by vendors for daily business.

He said India is now among the countries with the highest data use. There are more internet users in rural India than in urban centres. JAM trinity, GeM portal, CoWin portal, e-NAM are making technology an agent of inclusion, he said.

Praising the theme of ‘School to Start-ups – igniting young minds to innovate’, for Thursday’s celebrations, the prime minister said that India’s future will be decided by its youth and children. Their passion, energy, and capabilities are India’s big strengths.

He said more than 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs in 700 districts have become innovation nurseries. More importantly, 60 per cent of these labs are in government and rural schools. He said that 75 lakh plus students are working on more than 12 lakh innovation projects in the labs.

This, the prime minister said shows young scientists are coming right out of schools, and it is everyone’s duty to handhold them, nurture their talent and also assist them in implementing their ideas. Hundreds of startups have been incubated at Atal Innovation Centers (AIC). “The Tinker-preneurs of India will soon become leading entrepreneurs of the world,” Modi said.

The prime minister said that measures taken by his Government after 2014 have resulted in big changes in the field of science and technology. Startup India Campaign, Digital India, and National Education Policy help India in gaining new heights in different fields, he said, underlining that science is coming out of books and turning into patents through experiments.

 “The number of patents has increased from 4000 per year 10 years ago to more than 30,000 today. Registration of designs has grown from 10,000 to 15,000 in the same period. The number of trademarks has grown from less than 70,000 to more than 2,50,000,” he said.

The prime minister said the number of tech incubation centers in the country has grown from roughly 150 in 2014 to more than 650 today. He said that India’s Global Innovation Index Rank has gone from 81 to the 40th position where the youth of the country are setting up their own digital ventures and startups.

Drawing comparisons with 2014, the Prime Minister mentioned that the number of startups in the country has increased from roughly 100 to one lakh recognized startups now and it has turned India into the third largest startup ecosystem in the world.

Noting India’s capability and talent, the Prime Minister pointed out that the growth took place at a time when the world is passing through economic uncertainty.

He said the right use of technology gives new strength to society. Today, the government is using technology for providing services for every stage of life. Online birth certificates, e-Pathshala and Diksha e-learning platforms, scholarship portal, Universal access number during the job period, e-Sanjivini for medical treatment, and Jeevan Praman for the elderly, such solutions are helping the citizen at every step, said the Prime Minister.

He suggested that an institutionalized system be kept in place to address the youth coming out of Atal Tinkering Labs. “Can we similarly identify 100 labs in the country in different areas, which should be youth driven,” the Prime Minister asked. Highlighting the special focus areas of clean energy and natural farming, the Prime Minister stressed promoting research and technology.

On the Day, the prime minister laid the foundation stones and dedicated to the nation multiple projects related to scientific and technological advancement worth more than Rs 5800 crores in different parts of the country.

Talking about the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory – India (LIGO-India), the Prime Minister called LIGO to be one of the foremost science and technology initiatives of the 21st century. The observatory will bring new opportunities for research for the students and scientists, he said.