Hyderabad, Feb 28 (IANS) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday stressed the need to find solutions to critical technological challenges as he called upon the youth to inculcate a scientific temper and excel in frontier technologies by making the best use of the internationally competitive infrastructure being established in the country. In his address at the inauguration of Vigyan Vaibhav, a two-day science and technology extravaganza organised here by DRDO and others as part of National Science Day celebrations, the Defence Minister pointed out that warfare is increasingly moving from hardware to software.

"New technological breakthroughs are on the horizon and we have to take a lead in transformative technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Machine Learning, and Clean Tech. India can remain strong and secure in adverse situations if it has solutions to critical technological challenges," he said while urging youth to adopt a scientific outlook and critical thinking and try to go beyond the ordinary. He recalled the words of former President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam that science is a beautiful gift to humanity and we should not distort it but use it for the betterment of society.

The Defence Minister reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's commitment to harness modern technology for the safety and security of the nation, terming education in the field as crucial for the future. India’s youth possesses tremendous potential and it is the government’s endeavour to harness their capabilities to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, he said.

Rajnath Sigh said that it is the joint responsibility of the Centre and states to ensure that no child is left without a good education. "I am aware that education is a concurrent subject under the Indian Constitution. It is the joint responsibility of the Centre and states to ensure that our future generation gets the best of education, that no child is left without a good education and that the generations ahead are not only future-ready but also globally ready," he said.

He asserted that New Education Policy 2020 aims to transform science education in the country by encouraging creativity, critical thinking and innovation. He said the theme of this year’s National Science Day i.e. ‘Empowering Indian youth for global leadership in Science and Innovation for Viksit Bharat’ reflects the same approach. He mentioned that India was a slow growth economy after independence and under the circumstances, it was understood that science was the way forward to improve economic development, essential for a self-generating economy and industry as well as agriculture. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy urged the young minds participating in Vigyan Vaibhav 2025 to dream big and embrace innovation with passion.

Secretary, Defence R&D and DRDO Chairman Dr Samir V. Kamat, Aeronautical Society of India (AeSI) President Dr G Satheesh Reddy; Director Generals and Directors of the DRDO establishments, CMDs of PSUs and heads of industries attended the event. As part of the event, a grand exhibition has been organised in which over 30,000 students are participating. Featuring more than 200 exhibition stalls, it provided a rare opportunity for students to witness cutting-edge defence and aerospace technologies developed by the DRDO and leading Indian industries.

The exhibition aimed to ignite curiosity, inspire innovation, and encourage young minds to pursue careers in STEM fields, fostering the next generation of scientists, engineers, and technopreneurs. Vigyan Vaibhav is jointly organised by the DRDO, the AeSI, and the Kalam Institute of Youth Excellence to commemorate the National Science Day in honour of legendary scientist and Nobel laureate Sir C.V. Raman and his ground-breaking contributions to science. The event brought together policymakers, scientists, industry leaders, academicians, and young innovators to discuss and showcase advancements that will shape the nation’s future.

/IANS