The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) organised the curtain raiser for the forthcoming Emerging Science, Technology & Innovation Conclave (ESTIC-2025) at the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad.

The event marked the beginning of preparations for one of India’s most significant scientific gatherings, aimed at consolidating national efforts towards technological advancement and innovation.

As one of the principal organisers, DRDO will lead the thematic session on ‘Electronics & Semiconductor Manufacturing’, one of eleven sessions planned for the conclave. Addressing the audience, Dr Samir V Kamat, Secretary of the Department of Defence Research and Development (DDR&D) and Chairman of DRDO, highlighted the crucial role of semiconductors in modern technology ecosystems.

He noted that semiconductors form the backbone of defence, space, and communications systems, making them indispensable to national security, economic growth, and technological sovereignty.

Dr Kamat outlined India’s progress since the launch of the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) in 2021, describing the rapid transition from conceptual vision to tangible implementation within just four years. He reiterated the national ambition to position India among the world’s top three semiconductor-producing nations by 2036.

Further emphasising DRDO’s achievements, he announced the successful indigenous development of 4-inch Silicon Carbide (SiC) wafers and the fabrication of Gallium Nitride (GaN) High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) capable of delivering up to 150W power—technologies with significant applications in next-generation defence electronics and radar systems.

The ESTIC-2025 is being convened under the overarching theme, “Viksit Bharat 2047 – Pioneering Sustainable Innovation, Technological Advancement, and Empowerment”. The conclave will be jointly organised by thirteen government ministries and departments, under the guidance of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India. Scheduled to be held from 3rd to 5th November 2025 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, it aims to bring together academia, industry, policymakers, and innovators on a single national platform.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Jitendra Singh, also briefed President Droupadi Murmu on the upcoming conclave during their meeting at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

He highlighted that ESTIC-2025 represents India’s first integrated platform dedicated to advancing science, technology, and innovation in a coordinated manner across sectors. The conclave will adopt the theme “Imagine, Innovate, Inspire for Viksit Bharat 2047”, reflecting India’s long-term vision of transforming itself into a global knowledge and innovation hub.

Dr Singh underscored that the event would serve as a strategic forum to discuss frontier technologies including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, space science, and clean energy. He added that the conclave would feature dynamic interactions among researchers, start-ups, and industry leaders, encouraging practical collaborations and technology transfer.

The Minister observed that India’s innovation ecosystem has matured considerably over the past decade, with the nation now ranking among the top six globally in patent filings and projected to exceed major economies in research publications by 2029. He emphasised that ESTIC-2025 will symbolise India’s collective scientific ambition by aligning innovation with national development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals.

In the same briefing, Dr Singh mentioned preparations for the upcoming India International Science Festival (IISF-2025), to be held from 6th to 9th December at Panjab University, Chandigarh. The festival, themed ‘Vigyan Se Samriddhi – Science To Prosperity’, will celebrate scientific discovery and innovation.

He noted that while ESTIC focuses on shaping the future of science and technology policy, IISF celebrates the broader scientific spirit through public engagement and outreach.

Dr Singh concluded by acknowledging that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has entered one of its most transformative phases in scientific and technological progress.

He remarked that the Prime Minister’s consistent emphasis on science and innovation in every major address reflects the central role these sectors play in national advancement. Both ESTIC-2025 and IISF-2025, he said, embody this national momentum towards achieving a self-reliant, innovation-driven, and technologically empowered India by 2047.

Agencies