Varanasi: Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said the opening of the private space sector has created new opportunities for young talent within India. He said it has also reduced the need to look abroad for employment. Singh is Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences. He also serves as MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space.
He addressed students on October 8 at the NaMo Book Fest at the Rudraksh International Cooperation and Convention Centre. The two-day festival ran on October 7-8. It commemorated 25 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Head of Government through books by different authors. Those books cover various facets of his life, leadership and public service. Senior journalist Ashok Shrivastava coordinated the festival.
Later, in a question-answer session, Singh said limited opportunities in the domestic space ecosystem once pushed many young professionals overseas. However, the opening of the sector now lets more talent stay back. These professionals contribute to India’s growing space ecosystem. Private space startups, including Skyroot, are also creating new opportunities for young engineers within the country.
Private space sector ends the age of silos
An hour-long interaction and panel discussion followed the Minister’s introductory address. The panel included Banaras Hindu University Vice-Chancellor Professor Chaturvedi and Dr Sunil Kumar from the ocean sciences. Dr Ekta of the Department of Science & Technology, Dr Geeta of the Department of Biotechnology and Dr Jay Jaiswal from the space sector also took part.
Singh said the expansion of the space sector marks a fundamental change in India’s scientific ecosystem. “The age of silos is over,” he said. He stressed that government institutions, private industry, startups, academia and research institutions must work together. Together, they must build capabilities that can compete globally. The opening has turned space from a mainly government-led domain into a wider ecosystem. Young professionals and private enterprises can now participate in it.
The Minister said the change is already visible in the growth of India’s space economy. It has reached around USD 9 billion. If the present momentum continues, it could reach USD 45-46 billion over the next 8-10 years. He credited this growth to opening the sector and bringing more stakeholders into India’s space journey.
Space technology goes beyond rockets and missions
Singh also told students that India’s space story is no longer limited to rockets and launch missions. Space technology increasingly makes everyday life easier, including in infrastructure planning, project monitoring and disaster management. Moreover, Indian satellites provide information to neighbouring countries such as Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. This helps them prepare for floods and other disasters, he said.
Referring to Chandrayaan-3, he said India has shown that it can undertake sophisticated space missions with remarkable cost efficiency. He said the country has moved beyond the phase when it largely followed developments elsewhere. Now it moves alongside the world, and it is already ahead in several areas.
An “Era of Science” backed by policy
Taking students through India’s wider scientific transformation, the Minister said the last 12–13 years have been an “Era of Science” in India. Technology has received high policy priority and increasingly improves lives. India had the scientific talent and human resources for decades, he said. However, the policy environment needed to convert that potential into national capability has strengthened significantly in recent years.
He cited the Deep Ocean Mission, Quantum Mission, Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security and the Anusandhan National Research Foundation. These initiatives, he said, create capabilities in emerging scientific fields. On the Deep Ocean Mission, he said India is beginning to explore the enormous scientific and economic potential of its oceans. That includes resources that remain largely unexplored.
On biotechnology, Singh referred to India’s dedicated policy framework focused on “Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment”. He also cited the world’s first DNA vaccine against COVID-19 and the Genome India initiative. He called them examples of growing indigenous capabilities and preparation for an era of precision medicine.
Nuclear target, research spending and AI advice
Singh also referred to the opening of the nuclear sector to private participation. He cited India’s target of 100 GW of nuclear energy capacity by 2047. Nuclear power is emerging as an important clean-energy source for future requirements, including AI and data centres, he said. He added that the rise in GERD shows the higher priority given to research. It has gone from around 46,000–47,000 crore in 2013–14 to around 2–2.5 lakh crore.
Responding to students on Artificial Intelligence, he encouraged them to embrace the technology while retaining independent thinking and curiosity. “You have to be intelligent enough to use Artificial Intelligence,” he said. Technology should strengthen human capability, he stressed, rather than replace the curiosity that drives scientific discovery.
Next phase hinges on collaboration
Singh said India’s scientific progress has created a new self-confidence. It shows in the country’s growing global standing and the opportunities now open to its youth. Recalling Prime Minister Modi’s message “We can do it,” he said India has moved from an era when the world experimented and India followed. Scientific developments now take place in India alongside the rest of the world, with the country moving ahead in several fields.
The next phase, he said, will depend on sustained collaboration and greater opportunities for young talent. It will also depend on the continued conversion of scientific capability into innovation, economic opportunity and solutions for everyday life. India advances towards Viksit Bharat, he said.
