Lok Sabha Question No. 4341 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Policies Formulated Relating to Science and Technology
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Dr. Thirumaavalavan Tholkappiyan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4341 ANSWERED ON 18/03/2026

## POLICIES FORMULATED RELATING TO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## 4341.  DR. THIRUMAAVALAVAN THOLKAPPIYAN:

Will  the  Minister  of  SCIENCE  AND  TECHNOLOGY  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any policies formulated relating to Science and Technology during the past three years;
- (b)
- if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government  has identified any new  area of development with regard to Science and Technology; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a) to (b): During  the  past  three  years,  the  Government  has undertaken important policy and institutional measures to strengthen the science and technology ecosystem. The Union Cabinet approved the BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) Policy on 24 August 2024 as India's first biotechnology policy, to foster high-performance biomanufacturing across six thematic areas (i) Biobased  chemicals,  biopolymers, active pharmaceutical  ingredients (APIs)  and  enzymes,  (ii)  Smart  proteins  and  functional  foods,  (iii) Precision biotherapeutics (cell & gene therapy, mRNA therapeutics and monoclonal  antibodies),  (iv)  Climate-resilient  agriculture,  (v)  Carbon capture and utilization; and (vi) Futuristic marine and space research.

The Government also brought out the Indian Space Policy, 2023 in April 2023, which provides a level playing field for Non-Government Entities in  the  space  sector  by  enabling  their  participation  across  the  entire value chain of space activities, fostering a commercial space ecosystem,  and  boosting  "Make  in  India"  initiatives.  The  National Geospatial  Policy,  2022,  notified  on  28  December  2022,  aims  to liberalize  and  democratize  access  to  geospatial  data  and  services,

foster  innovation,  enable  its  widespread  use  across  governance, businesses and academia.

The Government has also advanced institutional and financing reforms for research and innovation through the establishment of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) to provide strategic direction to research, innovation and entrepreneurship, and through the operationalisation of the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) scheme to incentivise private sector investment in higher Technology Readiness Level research and innovation projects. In addition, missionmode  initiatives  such  as  National  Quantum  Mission,  the  National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS), and the IndiaAI  Mission  have  been  taken  forward  to  strengthen  emerging technology  capabilities,  translational  research,  startup  support  and commercialization.

(c) to (d): The Government  has identified several new  and emerging  areas  of  development  in  science  and  technology.  These include quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, medical devices and diagnostics, cyber-physical systems, electric mobility, critical minerals, geospatial technologies, carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS),  biotechnology,  biomanufacturing,  synthetic  biology,  circular economy  technologies,  clean  energy  technologies,  blue  economy, space  technologies,  and  semiconductors.  These  areas  are  being advanced  through  a  combination  of policy support, institutional mechanisms, mission-mode programmes, and innovation and research funding initiatives.

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