In an exclusive interaction with Whispers in the Corridors, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Ajay Kumar Sood, spoke to Abhinay Shukla on India’s scientific and technological transformation, highlighting the government’s mission-driven

In an exclusive interaction with Whispers in the Corridors, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Ajay Kumar Sood, spoke to Abhinay Shukla on India’s scientific and technological transformation, highlighting the government’s mission-driven approach to frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, semiconductors, biotechnology, advanced materials, and green hydrogen. He said India has moved beyond isolated research projects by creating an integrated innovation ecosystem backed by initiatives such as the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund, the National Quantum Mission, the IndiaAI Mission, and the India Semiconductor Mission, with a strong focus on research, commercialisation, and technological self-reliance.

Sood emphasised that scientific advice has become central to policymaking through institutional mechanisms like the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) and the Empowered Technology Group, while India is also emerging as a global voice in science diplomacy through platforms such as the G20 Chief Science Advisers Roundtable. Discussing the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, he said India’s path to becoming a developed nation rests on technological sovereignty, indigenous innovation, and its evolution into a “Product Nation” driven by startups, intellectual property, deep-tech research, and global collaborations. He also identified greater private-sector investment in research and stronger technology transfer mechanisms as key priorities and urged young researchers to embrace curiosity, interdisciplinary learning, and innovation that translates scientific discoveries into globally relevant technologies.