Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, Professor Ajay Kumar Sood, said on Tuesday, 27 October 2026 that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's support is indispensable for advancing science and technology and realising the vision of a Viksit Bharat. Sood made the remarks while underscoring the significance of the forthcoming Emerging Technologies, Innovation and Science Conclave (ESTIC) 2026, which PM Modi is scheduled to inaugurate.

PM Modi's Role in India's S&T Ecosystem

'The Prime Minister's inauguration of this event reflects his commitment and priority for science and technology in making India a Viksit Bharat. His support is absolutely essential, and we have been inspired by his vision and guided by it,' Professor Sood said. He positioned Modi's personal involvement not as ceremonial, but as a signal of the Centre's intent to place science at the core of India's development agenda. This comes amid growing global competition in emerging technologies — from semiconductors to artificial intelligence — where national policy direction can determine industrial outcomes for decades.

What ESTIC 2026 Will Cover

According to Professor Sood, ESTIC 2026 will feature 12 contemporary themes spanning the full breadth of science and technology. Building on what he described as the 'inspiring effect' of ESTIC 2025, the 2026 edition is designed to bring together representatives from academia, industry, national laboratories, and policymaking circles under one platform.

'This gives a new impetus to our ecosystem to see how India can take the lead in all these technologies. Here, we have people from academia, industry, national laboratories, policymakers and everyone who is a stakeholder in our S&T roadmap. I think ESTIC 2026 is again a correct step in that direction to take India towards Viksit Bharat,' Sood said. Notably, the multi-stakeholder format mirrors global best-practice models such as the World Economic Forum's technology councils, signalling an ambition to institutionalise India's science diplomacy.

Science as the Pivot for Aatmanirbhar Bharat

Sood stressed that science and technology lie at the 'pivot point' for achieving self-reliance — a phrase that directly echoes the government's Aatmanirbhar Bharat framework. He described ESTIC 2026 as a purposeful step in that direction, reinforcing the narrative that technological capability, not just manufacturing scale, will define India's next phase of economic growth.

Cell and Gene Therapy: India's Next Medical Frontier

On emerging healthcare innovations, Professor Sood identified cell and gene therapy as the most consequential medical science frontier ahead. He noted that the field has moved well beyond its earlier association with rare diseases. 'Many people call cell and gene therapy precision therapy. The right thing is that it is really needed. Earlier, it used to be called a treatment for rare diseases, but that is not the case now,' he said.

Sood highlighted specific applications including treatment of sickle cell anaemia, cancer, CAR-T cell therapy, and cystic fibrosis. 'My feeling is that cell and gene therapy will be the new frontier in medical science,' he added. India has been making incremental strides in this space, with domestic biotech firms and institutions beginning to pilot CAR-T therapies at significantly lower costs than their Western counterparts.

What Comes Next

With PM Modi's inauguration of ESTIC 2026 scheduled, attention will turn to whether the conclave produces actionable policy commitments — on funding, regulatory reform, or international partnerships — that move beyond the momentum of the event itself. Stakeholders from 12 thematic tracks are expected to submit recommendations that could feed into India's next science and technology policy cycle.