The Economic Survey tabled by the Finance Minister, Mr Arun Jaitley, has projected that as India emerges as one of the world's largest economies, it needs to gradually move from being a net consumer of knowledge to becoming a net producer. Given the dizzying pace and expansion of scientific research and knowledge on the one hand and a generally higher importance given to careers in engineering, medicine, management and government jobs amongst India's youth on the other, India needs to rekindle the excitement and purpose that would attract more young people to scientific enterprise.

The Survey points that doing so would lay the knowledge foundations to address some of India's most pressing development challenges in addition to maintain a decent & open society. Investing in science is also fundamental to India's security, the human security of its populations, the resilience needed to address the multiple uncertainties stemming from climate change and the national security challenges stemming from new emerging threats and ranging from cyber warfare to autonomous military systems such as drones.