India needs indigenous technologies to ensure energy security: Union Minister G Kishan Reddy

Raipur: India's biggest opportunities lie in addressing major challenges across sectors such as energy, mining, and healthcare, Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy said on Tuesday, asserting that homegrown innovations could benefit the entire world.

Addressing the 17th convocation of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Raipur here, the minister noted that India's higher education sector has undergone unprecedented expansion and modernisation over the past decade under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A total of 1,364 students, including 91 PhD scholars, received their degrees at the convocation.


Reddy pointed out that government initiatives, including the Rs 50,000-crore Anusandhan National Research Foundation and the Rs 1 lakh crore Deep Tech Research and Development Fund, support innovative ideas and research by young engineers and scientists.

He noted that India now has 52 institutions featured in the QS World University Rankings 2027, seeing a 271 per cent increase and emerging as the fastest-growing G20 nation in this regard.

Programmes such as the Prime Minister's Early Career Research Grant, Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research, Artificial Intelligence for Science and Engineering, and the Critical Raw Materials Research Programme have opened new opportunities for young researchers, the Union minister said.

Referring to the growing global demand for critical minerals used in electric vehicles, renewable energy, semiconductors, batteries, and defence technologies, Reddy said mining itself is a challenge.

He said that under the National Critical Mineral Mission, India has been working towards achieving self-reliance across the supply chain, including the development of new technologies and processing facilities.

"NIT Raipur is also among the key institutions working with the Centre of Excellence under the National Critical Mineral Mission. We need new technologies to ensure our production is not impacted by geopolitical challenges. We need our own processing facilities and efficient mining methods to meet net-zero goals while ensuring the energy security of our country," he said.

It is about national security and the sovereignty of Bharat; the technologies you develop will be among the highest forms of service to the motherland, he said, addressing the gathering.

Highlighting India's progress in technology and innovation, Reddy said commercial production and shipments of Made-in-India semiconductor memory modules began at the Micron facility in Sanand, Gujarat, in February this year.

Patent filings in the country had increased from less than 15,000 a decade ago to nearly 1.75 lakh last year, while India had emerged as the world's third-largest startup ecosystem, he said.

Reddy said India had also expanded its higher education infrastructure significantly since 2014, with the number of universities increasing from around 700 to more than 1,100.

The Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education had increased from 23.7 per cent in 2014-15 to around 29 per cent, while female enrolment had also registered growth, he added.

He further noted that educational institutions have introduced courses in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing and green technologies to prepare students for future employment opportunities and global competition.

Reddy also said that artificial intelligence technology will not eliminate human talent but strengthen it by taking over routine tasks and giving people more time to think, innovate and address larger challenges.

He urged graduating students to pursue research, design and innovation in India and develop technologies capable of competing globally.

As a practical assignment, he asked students to identify one real-world challenge in sectors such as energy, mining, healthcare or sustainability and commit themselves to finding a solution over the next three years.

He also advised students to maintain a balance between their professional careers, health, mental well-being and personal relationships.

Raipur MP Brijmohan Agrawal, CSIR Director General and Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Secretary N Kalaiselvi, NIT Raipur Board of Governors Chairman Suresh Havare and institute director N V Ramana Rao were present at the convocation.