Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the YUGM Innovation Conclave at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, emphasizing the importance of collaboration among government officials, academia, and research professionals. He referred to this confluence as “YUGM,” aiming to harness future technologies for a developed India. Modi expressed optimism that this event would accelerate India’s innovation capacity, particularly in deep-tech sectors. He noted the inauguration of super hubs at IIT Kanpur and IIT Bombay, which will focus on artificial intelligence, intelligent systems, biosciences, biotechnology, health, and medicine. Additionally, the launch of the Wadhwani Innovation Network reflects a commitment to advancing research in collaboration with the National Research Foundation.
The Prime Minister congratulated the Wadhwani Foundation, IITs, and all stakeholders involved, extending special appreciation to Shri Romesh Wadhwani for his dedication to positive reforms in education via public-private collaboration. Highlighting a Sanskrit scripture about true life being lived in service,PM Modi argued that science and technology should serve humanity. He praised institutions and individuals like the Wadhwani Foundation for steering technological advancement in the country. He shared Mr. Wadhwani’s inspirational journey, marked by challenges including displacement and polio, which he overcame to establish a successful business. PM Modi recognized Wadhwani’s contributions to education and research, praising the foundation’s initiatives in school education, Anganwadi technologies, and Agri-Tech.
The Prime Minister underscored the significance of preparing youth for the future, citing the education system’s critical role. He emphasized plans to modernize India’s education sector, notably with the New National Education Policy, which aligns with global standards. He discussed the development of the National Curriculum Framework, Learning Teaching Material, and new textbooks for primary education. Modi also introduced the AI-based digital education platform ‘One Nation, One Digital Education Infrastructure,’ enabling textbook preparation in multiple languages. The National Credit Framework enhances subject diversity for students, creating modern educational pathways.
PM Modi highlighted the significance of strengthening India’s research ecosystem to achieve national objectives. He noted the doubling of gross expenditure on R&D to over ₹1.25 lakh crore since 2013-14 and the establishment of research parks and R&D Cells across institutions. He highlighted a burgeoning innovation culture, with patent filings having increased significantly, reflecting support for youthful inventors through the intellectual property ecosystem. Furthermore, the ₹50,000 crore National Research Foundation has been set to encourage research culture, along with the One Nation, One Subscription initiative granting access to global research journals for students. He also emphasized the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship, ensuring talented individuals have a seamless path in their career advancements.
PM emphasized the exceptional role of today’s youth in India, particularly in Research & Development, where they are making significant transformative contributions across various sectors. He pointed out notable achievements, such as IIT Madras collaborating with Indian Railways to create the world’s longest hyperloop test track, a 422-meter structure. Advances like nanotechnology from IISc Bangalore that manipulates light at the nano-scale and a revolutionary ‘brain on a chip’ technology were also highlighted, showcasing the cutting-edge research emanating from India. Modi mentioned the recent development of India’s first indigenous MRI machine as another milestone in this innovative journey.
PM Modi stated that Indian university campuses are evolving into thriving centers of innovation, with the country’s representation in the Higher Education Impact Rankings reflecting this progress—over 90 universities are now listed among 2,000 worldwide. He acknowledged that India’s QS ranking has seen remarkable growth, rising from nine institutions in 2014 to 46 by 2025, and Indian universities making their mark among the top 500 globally in recent years. The expansion of Indian institutions abroad, such as IIT Delhi in Abu Dhabi and IIT Madras in Tanzania, along with the proposed IIM Ahmedabad in Dubai, illustrates the global outreach. Furthermore, he noted that leading international universities establishing campuses in India fosters academic exchange and research collaborations, offering Indian students rich cross-cultural learning experiences.
“The trinity of Talent, Temperament, and Technology will shape India’s future,” asserted the Prime Minister, highlighting initiatives like Atal Tinkering Labs, which now boast 10,000 operational labs, with plans for an additional 50,000 in the upcoming budget to provide early innovation exposure to children. Modi announced the PM Vidya Lakshmi scheme aimed at financially supporting students and noted the establishment of internship cells in over 7,000 institutions to link academic knowledge with practical experience.
In addressing India’s goal of becoming a developed nation in the next 25 years, he stressed the urgency of moving from idea to prototype to product swiftly. He identified the importance of minimizing the distance between labs and markets to expedite the delivery of research results, thereby encouraging researchers by providing tangible benefits for their work, thus accelerating the innovation and value addition cycle.
PM Modi urged for a well-supported research ecosystem, calling on academic institutions, industry, and investors to collaboratively guide and mentor innovators. He highlighted the vital role industry leaders can play in nurturing youth talent through mentorship, funding, and cooperative solution development, reinforcing government efforts to simplify regulations and expedite approval processes.
Emphasizing the importance of advancing AI, quantum computing, advanced analytics, space technology, health technology, and synthetic biology, Prime Minister Modi underscored India’s prominent status in AI development and its implementation. He announced the initiation of the India-AI Mission, aimed at establishing world-class infrastructure, creating high-quality datasets, and building robust research facilities. Modi spoke about the growing number of AI Centres of Excellence being established in collaboration with top institutions, industries, and startups, reiterating the commitment to the vision of “Make AI in India” and the aspiration to “Make AI work for India.”
Furthermore, he highlighted recent budgetary provisions to enhance IIT seat capacities and the introduction of Meditech courses that integrate medical education with technology, developed in partnership with IITs and AIIMS. The Prime Minister called for the prompt execution of these initiatives to help position India among the best globally in future technologies. Concluding his remarks, he mentioned the YUGM initiative, a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Education and Wadhwani Foundation, as a revitalizing force for India’s innovation landscape. He expressed gratitude towards the Wadhwani Foundation for its contributions and underscored the importance of the event in achieving these goals.
Prominent figures at the event included Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Dr. Jitendra Singh, Jayant Chaudhary, and Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, among others.
The YUGM conclave, translating to “confluence” in Sanskrit, marks a groundbreaking strategic gathering of leaders from various sectors including government, academia, industry, and the innovation ecosystem. This initiative aims to elevate India’s innovation trajectory, with a collaborative project worth approximately Rs 1,400 crore, featuring joint investment from the Wadhwani Foundation and government bodies.
Aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision for a self-sufficient and innovation-driven India, the conclave will see the launch of several significant projects. These include the establishment of Superhubs at IIT Kanpur focusing on AI and Intelligent Systems, and at IIT Bombay dedicated to Biosciences, Biotechnology, Health, and Medicine. Additionally, Wadhwani Innovation Network (WIN) Centers will be set up at premier research institutions to support the commercialization of research, along with a partnership with the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) to jointly fund late-stage translation projects and further promote research and innovation.
The conclave will also feature High-level Roundtables and Panel Discussions that gather government officials and elite leaders from industry and academia to engage in action-oriented dialogues aimed at accelerating the translation of research into impactful innovations. A Deep Tech Startup Showcase will highlight cutting-edge innovations from across India, alongside exclusive networking opportunities for participants.
