Dr. Jitendra Singh at ESTIC2026 Systems Biology Session
Synopsis
Union Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh participated in Technical Session 3 on 'Systems and Synthetic Biology' at the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave ESTIC2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 28 October 2026, engaging leading researchers and industry minds on a frontier interdisciplinary field.
Key Takeaways
Jitendra Singh attended Technical Session 3 on 'Systems and Synthetic Biology' at ESTIC2026 on 28 October 2026 .
The conclave is being held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi , a premier national convention venue managed by ITPO.
Systems and Synthetic Biology sits at the intersection of biology, engineering, and computational design — a field with major pharmaceutical, agricultural, and materials applications.
India's biotechnology policy lineage includes the National Biotechnology Development Strategy 2015-2020 , which sought to strengthen research infrastructure and industry-academia linkages.
ESTIC2026 sessions are expected to produce formal recommendations or white papers that could inform future budgetary and scheme decisions in synthetic biology.
The minister described the interaction as 'academically enriching,' indicating substantive technical exchange with leading minds from science, research, and industry.
Where biology meets engineering and computation, India is staking a claim — and Union Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh was at the centre of that conversation on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, participating in Technical Session 3 of the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC2026) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
What brought India's science establishment to Bharat Mandapam
ESTIC2026 is a multi-stakeholder conclave convened to bring together frontier researchers, technologists, and industry leaders under one roof — precisely the kind of alignment exercise the Ministry of Science and Technology has made a signature move in recent years. Bharat Mandapam, the sprawling ITPO-managed convention complex in the heart of New Delhi, has become the preferred venue for marquee national science and innovation events, lending the gathering an institutional weight that matches its ambition.
The session Dr. Jitendra Singh described — Session 3 on 'Systems and Synthetic Biology' — sits at one of the most consequential intersections in contemporary science: the engineering of biological systems using computational design tools. It is a field where academic breakthroughs translate, sometimes rapidly, into industrial applications in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and advanced materials.
Synthetic biology and the policy push behind it
India's engagement with synthetic biology is not new. The National Biotechnology Development Strategy 2015-2020 laid early groundwork for strengthening research infrastructure and deepening industry-academia linkages in emerging biological sciences. ESTIC2026 represents the latest chapter in that continuing effort — a forum where the conversation moves from broad strategy to technical specifics.
Conclaves of this kind are designed to do one thing well: close the gap between what researchers are discovering in laboratories and what policymakers and industry leaders need to act on. Whether the sessions at ESTIC2026 yield formal white papers or policy recommendations will be the real measure of their impact.
What scientists and industry are watching next
For the research scientists and biotech industry stakeholders in the room, the stakes are tangible. Synthetic biology has global-scale commercial potential — and India, with its established pharmaceuticals base and growing deep-tech ecosystem, is well-positioned to compete. The question ESTIC2026 is implicitly asking is whether academic excellence and industrial ambition can be wired together fast enough to matter.
Dr. Jitendra Singh called the session 'academically enriching' — a signal that substantive technical exchange, not just ceremonial presence, defined the day. The conclave continues, and any formal outputs from its sessions will be closely tracked by the biotech and research communities.
India's synthetic biology moment is being debated in real time — the rooms where that debate happens are filling up fast.
Point of View
Not above it. ESTIC2026 fits a broader pattern of the Science and Technology Ministry using high-profile conclaves to build consensus across academic and industry stakeholders before translating intent into scheme design or budgetary allocation. Synthetic biology is a domain where India has latent strengths but has yet to assert a globally competitive position; the conclave is one mechanism to accelerate that alignment. The real test will be whether the technical outputs of sessions like this one travel from the conference floor to actionable government frameworks in a policy cycle that has historically moved slowly in frontier biology.
NationPress
28 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Systems and Synthetic Biology?
Systems and Synthetic Biology is an interdisciplinary field combining biology, engineering, and computational tools to design or redesign biological systems, with applications in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and advanced materials.
Where is ESTIC2026 being held?
ESTIC2026 is being held at Bharat Mandapam, a major convention and exhibition venue in New Delhi managed by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO).
What is Dr. Jitendra Singh's role in the science ministry?
Dr. Jitendra Singh is the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, and also holds additional charge in the Prime Minister's Office and Personnel.
What could come out of ESTIC2026 technical sessions?
The technical sessions at ESTIC2026 are expected to produce recommendations or white papers that could inform future policy decisions, budgetary allocations, and government schemes related to synthetic biology and other frontier science areas.
