Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Monday highlighted the Modi government’s unwavering commitment to advancing science and research, noting that a series of transformative reforms have helped unshackle India’s innovation potential.
He was speaking at the NITI Aayog “Regional Consultative Committee” meeting on “Ease of Doing Research and Development” at IIT Jammu. The event witnessed the participation of faculty, NITI Aayog representatives, eminent scientists, academicians, and institutional leaders.
Singh said that over 1,600 obsolete rules have been scrapped to streamline governance and reduce bureaucratic hurdles. The General Financial Rules (GFRs) have been relaxed, enabling faster procurement and greater flexibility for researchers.
In a historic move, Dr Jitendra Singh noted, the government has also opened up the nuclear sector to private participation—an unprecedented step reflecting deep trust in India’s domestic scientific capabilities.
The Minister noted that this transformative initiative is further bolstered by recent reforms that empower Vice Chancellors to approve global tenders up to Rs. 200 crore, significantly simplifying and expediting the procurement of advanced research equipment and infrastructure. Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized that such bold measures will accelerate scientific progress and help position India as a global leader in research and innovation.
The Minister further emphasized India’s rapidly rising global stature in science, innovation, and entrepreneurship. He pointed out that India’s rank in the Global Innovation Index has significantly improved—from 81 to 39—demonstrating the country’s focused efforts in research, innovation, and technology. India now ranks fourth globally in scientific publication output, highlighting the increasing academic and research contributions from Indian institutions.
Additionally, he noted the country’s remarkable startup boom, with the number of startups growing from just 350 to nearly 1.75 lakh in the last decade, reflecting a robust and dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem.
“Our space missions like Chandrayaan and Gaganyaan have made India a global science and technology leader,” he added, citing the success of experiments aboard these missions, including Shubhashu, which are setting world benchmarks in life sciences and biotechnology.
Highlighting Jammu’s emerging educational ecosystem, Dr. Singh noted the rare proximity of IIT, IIM, AIIMS, IIIM, and Mass Communication institutions in the region. He called for early industry linkage from the outset of academic projects for sustainable StartUps to foster relevance and innovation.
The event was also attended by Manoj Singh Gaur, Director, IIT Jammu, and Prof. VK Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog.