Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the 1998 nuclear testing in Pokhran as one of the most wonderful days in Indian history on Thursday, claiming that technology is a tool for the country’s growth rather than a means of demonstrating its superiority.

Speaking at an event commemorating the anniversary of the Pokhran tests, Modi said his government had embraced technology to empower people and promote social justice.

Whether it’s JAM trinity, CoWIN portal, or digital market for farmers, his government has used technology as an agent of inclusion, the PM said, adding that there is a technical answer at every stage of life, beginning with birth.

The prime minister stated that his government’s thrust on science and technology has resulted in a significant transformation, noting that around 4,000 patents were registered annually 10 years ago, but it is now over 30,000.

Previously, 70,000 trademarks were filled each year; the figure is over 2.5 lakh, and the number of incubation centres has increased to 650 from 150 in 2014, he said.

According to him, the country is growing in every direction required to be a tech leader.

The prime minister stated that his government has strived to create an inclusive ecosystem to support innovation, citing India’s significant improvement on the global innovation index.

In addition, Modi lay the foundation stone for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory India (LIGO-India).

He dedicated to the nation a Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Plant at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre campus at Visakhapatnam, as well as a Fission Moly-99 Production Facility in Mumbai, which will produce the radioisotope used in over 85 percent of imaging procedures for the early detection of cancer and heart disease.

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