Dr Jitendra Singh calls for reverse brain drain as India enters golden era of science

new delhi: union minister for science and technology dr jitendra singh on tuesday urged india's scientific diaspora to move beyond the era of “brain drain” and embrace a model of “reverse brain drain” or “brain exchange,” where knowledge, innovation, and ideas flow seamlessly between india and its global talent pool.addressing a round table on “vaibhav vision for viksit bharat” during the three-day emerging science, technology and innovation conclave (estic 2025) in new delhi, dr singh told the nri scientists, “you are not outsiders — you are part of the indian scientific family.”the session, moderated by principal scientific adviser prof ajay kumar sood, included participation from vaibhav fellows representing r&d institutions in the us, canada, sweden, australia, and other countries. the fellows proposed measures such as extending the vaibhav fellowship to five years, easing travel and conference clearances, and promoting student mobility for global collaboration.dr singh said prime minister narendra modi's consistent outreach to the scientific diaspora has positioned india at the forefront of global innovation. he cited breakthroughs in biotechnology, space, and startups as evidence of india's “golden era of science.”senior officials, including secretaries of dst, space, and earth sciences, also shared perspectives on cross-disciplinary cooperation under the vaibhav framework.