Achievements of National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS)

Source: The post achievements of national mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) has been created, based on the article “India’s cyber-physical hubs are ready to take off. It’s time for industry to step in” published in “Indian Express” on 3rd October is 2024

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3 – Science and Technology – developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.

Context: The article discusses the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) in India. It highlights successful projects, including drone swarms and secure IoT chips. Launched in 2018, the mission aims to boost innovation, create jobs, and position India as a leader in technology.

For detailed information on National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems read this article here

What is the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS)?

1. The National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) focuses on translational research, which bridges the gap between research and market-ready products.
2. Technology Innovation Hubs were set up in 25 institutions as Section 8 companies. This structure gives them operational freedom and a specific focus on national priorities.
3. Unlike other initiatives, NM-ICPS emphasizes high technology readiness levels (TRL) to ensure that innovations like drone-swarming technology, IT-OT Security Operations Centers, and the Digital Entomologist are market-ready and impactful.

What Are Some Key Achievements of the Mission?

1. Over 1,500 new technologies and tech products have been developed through the mission, resulting in over 16,000 jobs and supporting more than 650 startups/spinoff companies.
2. A drone swarm lighting display was successfully demonstrated at the Beating Retreat ceremony, developed by Botlabs Dynamics, now valued at over Rs 160 crore.
3. Mindgrove Technologies created India’s first commercial chip for secure IoT environments, providing a 30% cost advantage over competitors.
4. The world’s first “Digital Entomologist” was developed by Awadh at IIT Ropar, helping with sustainable agriculture and biodiversity tracking.
5. C3iHub at IIT Kanpur developed a 24/7 IT-OT Security Operations Center (SOC), providing 3x-5x cost savings and deployed at the National Highways Authority of India.
6. TiHAN Foundation at IIT Hyderabad established India’s first testbed for autonomous navigation for aerial and ground systems.

What Are the Next Steps for the Mission?

1. Innovation hubs will move towards self-funding by commercialising their technologies, ensuring financial autonomy.
2. Indian industry is expected to co-create innovations with these hubs and provide funding for future projects.
3. Employees from industries can work at the hubs to collaborate with researchers and entrepreneurs.
4. As part of the government’s 100-day agenda, the mission will launch the “Generative AI for Bharat” project at IIT Bombay. This project aims to develop multilingual AI models in 22 Indian languages.
5. The mission will solidify India’s leadership in CPS technologies, boosting economic growth and self-reliance.

Question for practice:

Examine how the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) has contributed to job creation and innovation in India.