Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan attended the 98th Foundation Day celebration of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) on Thursday, 16 July 2026, and lauded the council's scientists for steering Indian agriculture toward new horizons and bringing positive change to farmers' lives.

Posting on X, the minister wrote: 'आज ICAR के 98वें स्थापना दिवस के अवसर पर आयोजित कार्यक्रम में सहभागी बनने का अवसर मिला' ('Today I had the opportunity to participate in the programme organised on the occasion of ICAR's 98th Foundation Day'). He described ICAR as 'the pride of our country' and conveyed best wishes for the council's journey ahead.

Context

ICAR was established in 1929 as the apex autonomous body under the Ministry of Agriculture to coordinate agricultural research, education, and extension across India. Its 98th Foundation Day marks nearly a century of institutional effort to modernise Indian farming and strengthen food security. The minister's participation underlines the government's continued political attention to the body's anniversary milestones.

Policy Backdrop

ICAR played a central role in India's Green Revolution from the mid-1960s, developing and disseminating high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice that helped the country achieve foodgrain self-sufficiency. Over successive decades, its mandate has been periodically broadened to address crop diversification, climate resilience, and precision farming, while maintaining a network of institutes and state agricultural universities. Chouhan, as the minister overseeing ICAR's parent ministry, has consistently positioned the council's scientific output as foundational to the government's agricultural agenda.

Stakeholders and Impact

The two primary beneficiaries of ICAR's work are India's farming community and the country's agricultural scientists. Research translated into field-level extension services has historically influenced cropping patterns, input efficiency, and income outcomes for millions of smallholder farmers. The minister's public acknowledgement of scientists' 'hard work' signals continued institutional support for publicly funded agricultural research at a time when private-sector agri-tech investment is also rising rapidly.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to ICAR's research priorities and budget allocations in the next Union Budget cycle, and whether the Foundation Day event produced any new announcements on collaborative projects with state governments or international partners. The council's ability to align its century-old institutional framework with emerging challenges — from climate-resilient crop varieties to digital agriculture tools — will define its relevance in the decades ahead.