PM Modi Says Science Must Move From Labs To Land To Improve Lives

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said scientific innovation achieves its real purpose when researchers translate laboratory discoveries into practical solutions that improve people’s lives.

Addressing the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2026 in New Delhi, PM Modi said India was rapidly strengthening its technological capabilities and pursuing greater self-reliance across technology-driven sectors.

“There has been a persistent challenge in how people view science and technology, often treating them merely as tools of power or conflict. India firmly believes that we must use science and technology to serve humanity,” PM Modi noted.

“The true success of science comes when scientists take their innovations from the lab to the land and directly improve the lives of ordinary citizens,” the Prime Minister stated.

The Prime Minister emphasised that scientific progress should depend on its practical benefits rather than technological sophistication alone.

“The success of a technology is not determined solely by how advanced it is. Its true strength lies in how effectively it solves major problems and how many people’s lives it transforms,” PM Modi noted.

PM Modi reiterated that India views science and technology as means of advancing human welfare, contrasting this approach with the global tendency to associate technological capabilities with power and conflict.

Highlighting India’s scientific heritage, PM Modi referred to the country’s historical contributions to mathematics and astronomy, including the discovery of zero and the development of the number system.

“India is moving forward by evaluating itself against this very benchmark. We all know that a country’s technology and its ability to create technology depend on its research. Research is the force that enables a country to find solutions to its problems and become self-reliant in critical technologies,” PM Modi mentioned.