Biju Dharmapalan
bijudharmapalan@gmail.com
India’s journey toward becoming a self-sufficient and self-reliant nation has been decisively shaped by science. In the past few years, particularly highlighted in 2025, India has made remarkable strides in various scientific fields, including space, agriculture, health, meteorology, artificial intelligence, energy, infrastructure, and deep-ocean research. This evolution has transformed the nation from a state of reliance to one of competence, and ultimately, to a position of leadership. This phase is marked not by isolated breakthroughs, but by the remarkable coherence achieved as scientific knowledge, policy vision, and societal needs align to foster national resilience and enhance global relevance.
Space Science: Reaching Higher and Broader
India’s space programme represents a significant milestone in its journey towards scientific advancement. Guided by the Indian Space Research Organisation, the nation has achieved comprehensive expertise—from the design of satellites and launch vehicles to the realms of deep-space exploration and commercial endeavours. In 2025, a significant milestone was achieved with the successful launch of the BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite aboard the LVM3-M6 mission, a project spearheaded by the US-based AST SpaceMobile. This remarkable achievement marks the heaviest commercial payload ever launched by an Indian vehicle, solidifying India’s reputation in the competitive global commercial launch arena. BlueBird Block-2 offers a groundbreaking solution for direct-to-mobile broadband connectivity, tailored explicitly for everyday smartphones. This innovation holds the promise of significantly enhancing digital access, reaching areas that have long been underserved by conventional network infrastructure.
India’s space capabilities play a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency of daily governance. Earth-observation satellites play a crucial role in enhancing precision agriculture, shaping urban planning, aiding disaster response, and monitoring climate changes. Advanced navigation systems are revolutionising logistics and mobility, while space-based data plays a crucial role in bolstering national security. India has showcased that essential scientific exploration can harmoniously blend with economic engineering through its planetary and solar missions. In this cohesive framework, space science emerges as a vital resource and a community benefit—an indispensable foundation for self-sufficiency.
Agriculture: Science Empowering the Fields
Agriculture, a fundamental pillar of India’s economy and food security, exemplifies the transformative power of science in enhancing societal well-being. The groundwork established by the Green Revolution is undeniable, yet the pressing issues we face today—such as climate variability, soil stress, water scarcity, and population growth—demand a level of innovation and complexity that goes beyond previous efforts. Innovations in agri-biotechnology, remote sensing, climate science, and data analytics are transforming the landscape of Indian agriculture. Farmers are now benefiting from satellite-enabled advisories that provide crucial insights on optimal sowing windows, irrigation requirements, and pest management strategies, ultimately minimising risks and boosting productivity. Precision agriculture reduces input expenses, enhances yields, and boosts sustainability efforts.
Significantly, India’s advancements in genomics and gene-editing, particularly with the emergence of CRISPR platforms, are paving the way for homegrown enhancements in agriculture. India’s first genome-edited rice varieties, DRR Rice 100 (Kamala) and Pusa DST Rice 1, developed using genome editing technology based on CRISPR-Cas, were launched by Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan at Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Auditorium, NASC Complex, New Delhi on May 4, 2025. With this release, India has become the first country in the world to develop genome-edited rice varieties. Innovative varieties that resist disease, tolerate drought, and offer enhanced nutrition are being developed locally, thereby diminishing reliance on foreign technologies and bolstering food sovereignty. Modern agricultural practices extend beyond merely increasing production; they emphasise resilience, sustainability, and respect for farmers’ dignity.
Healthcare: From Pharmaceuticals to Precision Medicine
The healthcare sector stands as a striking illustration of how scientific advancements can lead to greater social equity and independent decision-making. In 2025, India marked a significant achievement with the introduction of its first homegrown CRISPR-based gene therapy, BIRSA 101, designed to address Sickle Cell Disease, a genetic condition notably affecting tribal communities. Created at the CSIR-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology and made possible through a partnership between public and private sectors, BIRSA 101 makes advanced genomic therapy accessible to millions of Indians while decreasing dependence on expensive imported treatments.
This accomplishment highlights India’s enduring prowess in pharmaceutical production, solidifying its reputation as the “pharmacy of the world.” Indian science has consistently shown that quality and accessibility can go hand in hand, from widespread immunisation efforts to the availability of affordable medicines. The shift towards precision medicine, digital health platforms, and genomics signifies a new era in healthcare self-sufficiency—characterized not merely by production capabilities, but by groundbreaking advancements in the life sciences sector.
Meteorology and Climate Science: Forecasting the Future
A subtle yet impactful advancement in self-reliance has arisen from the fields of meteorology and climate science. India’s Bharat Forecasting System (BFS), crafted under the auspices of the Ministry of Earth Sciences and brought to life by the India Meteorological Department, marks a significant advancement in the realm of weather and climate prediction capabilities. Through the integration of advanced numerical models, satellite and oceanic data, along with robust computing capabilities, BFS has significantly enhanced the precision and promptness of forecasts spanning short, medium, and long-range periods.
Farmers benefit from enhanced weather forecasts, allowing for improved planning and minimising crop losses. In disaster-prone areas, timely alerts for cyclones, floods, and heatwaves are crucial for saving lives and protecting livelihoods. Policymakers and planners rely on strong environmental data to enhance climate adaptation strategies, develop urban resilience plans, and manage water resources effectively. By cultivating these abilities within its own borders, India has bolstered its sovereignty in essential climate intelligence while simultaneously reducing reliance on external data sources.
Artificial Intelligence: Bharat Gen and Inclusive Digital Innovation
Artificial intelligence is swiftly emerging as a crucial foundation for India’s journey towards technological independence. In 2025, India introduced ‘Bharat Gen’, marking a significant milestone as the nation’s inaugural government-funded, homegrown multimodal Large Language Model (LLM) tailored for Indian languages. Launched as a key initiative in a nationwide effort to make AI accessible to all, this model excels in understanding text, speech, and images, catering to the diverse linguistic landscape of India with support for more than 22 languages.
Crafted as part of a national initiative focused on interdisciplinary cyber-physical systems and brought to life by the TIH Foundation at IIT-Bombay, Bharat Gen is designed for a variety of applications, including governance, healthcare, education, agriculture, and citizen services, among others. Bharat Gen showcases India’s rich linguistic diversity and cultural context, empowering AI solutions that grasp regional nuances, provide vernacular advisories to farmers, support local healthcare delivery, and enhance access to public services. This initiative aligns with national objectives focused on enhancing digital inclusion, promoting ethical AI practices, and fostering indigenous technological expertise, aiming to reduce reliance on foreign, proprietary AI models and data systems.
Energy and Fuel Research: Reducing Fossil Fuel Dependence
Energy research has emerged as a crucial focus, tackling India’s longstanding reliance on imported fossil fuels. Innovations in renewable technologies, especially in solar, wind, biofuels, and green hydrogen, are broadening the nation’s energy landscape and enhancing energy security. Green hydrogen, generated from renewable electricity, offers a groundbreaking opportunity to reduce carbon emissions across heavy industries, transportation, and energy-intensive sectors that have historically relied on petroleum.
Through strategic investments in indigenous research, pilot projects, and manufacturing throughout the renewable energy value chain, India is effectively mitigating risks associated with global price fluctuations and establishing itself as a prospective exporter of clean energy technologies. In this context, science serves a dual purpose: it stabilises the economy while also protecting the environment, ensuring that national development is in harmony with climate obligations.
Deep Ocean Science: Unveiling the Mysteries Beneath Ocean
India’s scientific aspirations are now reaching into the depths of the oceans with the launch of the Deep Ocean Mission, which encompasses the Samudrayaan programme. With the advancement of indigenous submersibles, underwater robotics, and deep-sea sensors, India is making significant strides into one of the most uncharted scientific realms on our planet. Exploring the depths of the ocean reveals crucial information about our climate systems, the diversity of marine life, the potential for resources, and the risks associated with disasters. In a country blessed with an extensive coastline and an ambitious vision for its blue economy, the significance of ocean science cannot be overstated; it is both a strategic necessity and a fundamental element of progress.
The expertise of Indigenous communities in this area ensures that essential data and technologies stay within national oversight, bolstering environmental management and preparedness in maritime regions.
Infrastructure and Smart Growth: Scientific Planning in Action
Infrastructure development, traditionally perceived solely from an economic perspective, is progressively anchored in scientific and engineering proficiency. Initiatives like Bharatmala utilise geospatial science, innovative materials, traffic modelling, and climate-resilient design to construct roadways that improve connectivity, lower logistical expenses, and incorporate rural areas into the national economy.
When infrastructure is informed by data and research instead of arbitrary expansion, it transforms into a sustainable asset that enhances internal connectedness, economic resilience, and national unity.
Defence and National Security: Self-Reliance in Action
The manifestation of scientific self-reliance is prominently evident in defence and national security. The triumph of Operation Sindhoor highlights India’s advancing self-sufficiency—showcasing domestically developed systems that exemplified accuracy, dependability, and preparedness for action. In a significant move to bolster operational success, the Defence Research and Development Organisation has enhanced its innovation pipeline by transferring seven indigenous technologies, crafted under the Technology Development Fund (TDF), to the Armed Forces. Highlighted in this discussion are cutting-edge electronic warfare power supplies, robust naval communication systems, innovative water-jet propulsion for interceptor vessels, durable seawater batteries designed for underwater surveillance, efficient tidal naval gangways, and eco-friendly methods for extracting lithium precursors from spent batteries.
These advancements collectively diminish reliance on imports for essential defence technologies, hasten their integration into service, and enhance cooperation among laboratories, startups, and industry—signifying a pivotal transition from being mere purchasers to becoming creators in the realm of national security.
Emerging Research Ecosystem: A Foundation for the Future
Central to India’s scientific revival is a dynamic and advancing landscape of research and innovation. At ESTIC 2025, a significant milestone was achieved when the Prime Minister unveiled a groundbreaking ₹1 Lakh Crore Research, Development and Innovation Scheme—marking one of the most substantial investments in science and innovation in the history of the nation (Department of Science and Technology, Government of India). This funding framework, focused on mission-driven objectives, seeks to stimulate research in fundamental science, advanced technology, innovative applications, industry partnerships, and the development of skills and capabilities.
This initiative acknowledges that advancements—spanning AI, genomics, energy, and climate science—demand ongoing investment, the cultivation of talent, and robust infrastructure. This initiative empowers researchers, startups, universities, and enterprises to address significant challenges, laying the groundwork for long-term scientific advancement and economic value creation.
Conclusion: Knowledge with Purpose
India’s scientific journey illustrates that self-sufficiency does not equate to seclusion. The focus is on developing robust internal capabilities that enable global collaboration while maintaining resilience against vulnerabilities. From the launch of an American communication satellite to the global supply of medicines, the sharing of climate data, the advancement of AI for Indian languages, and the pioneering of deep-ocean research, India confidently engages with the world, grounded in scientific progress.
As we look towards a future marked by resilience, inclusivity, and global significance, India’s scientific journey conveys a compelling narrative: when knowledge is cultivated, interconnected, and purposefully applied—backed by a robust research framework—self-reliance becomes a tangible experience. This represents a significant advancement in science, fostering human progress, bolstering economic resilience, and reinforcing national independence in today’s world.
Biju Dharmapalan
(Dr.Biju Dharmapalan is the Dean -Academic Affairs, Garden City University, Bangalore and an adjunct faculty at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, E-mail: bijudharmapalan@gmail.com)
—— Forwarded Message ——–
From: Biju Dharmapalan <bijudharmapalan@gmail.com>
Date: 12/27/2025 9:04:22 AM
Subject: Self-Reliant Science: How India’s Integrated Scientific Advances Are Redefining National Strength
The post Self-Reliant Science: How India’s Integrated Scientific Advances Are Redefining National Strength appeared first on Daily Excelsior.