India Moves From Technology Follower To Global Player: Dr Jitendra Singh

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS) Union MoS Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh on Friday said that India is no longer a technology follower but a confident global player and must build resilient value chains for critical minerals, advanced materials by combining domestic resources with global partnerships.

Addressing the 3rd Global Summit on Advanced Materials, Critical Minerals, & Metals here, the minister urged early industry linkages to turn research and innovation into commercial success.

This would enable research initiatives to remain aligned with market requirements and improve their prospects of becoming commercially viable. A healthy synergy among research, industry, government and the non-government sector is essential for sustaining startups and entrepreneurs, he said.

Dr. Singh said critical minerals and metals will be a driving component of the next phase of technological development, with their importance extending beyond mining to energy security, industrial competitiveness and national security.

The minister said the global economy is undergoing a paradigm shift, with clean energy, electric mobility, semiconductors, telecommunications, aerospace, defence and nuclear energy emerging as major drivers of technological and industrial transformation.

India is now participating in this global discourse with much greater confidence and is preparing to assume a larger global role, he said, adding that changing technological landscape warrants the country to build capabilities across the entire value chain of critical minerals and advanced materials-from exploration and extraction to refining, processing, engineering and manufacturing.

Domestic resources will have to be combined optimally with international resources, while indigenous technologies and globally competitive benchmarks are developed simultaneously, he added.

Dr. Singh said advanced materials and critical minerals require a whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach, with industry being an integral partner. India has to pursue global strategies and international partnerships while strengthening its domestic technological capabilities, he added.

Dr. Singh said advanced materials and critical minerals require a whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach, with industry being an integral partner. India has to pursue global strategies and international partnerships while strengthening its domestic technological capabilities, he added.

Referring to the government's approach towards strategic sectors, the minister said India has taken significant steps to bring private industry into areas that were traditionally considered beyond its reach.

He invited international investors and industry, including from Canada and other countries, to participate in the opportunities emerging from India's opening up of the nuclear sector. He said the new framework provides room for foreign collaboration and investment along with greater domestic participation.

-IANS

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