Inaugurating the new campus of CSIR's Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) in south Delhi, he asked scientists to redouble efforts in research and development, a field where India has been overtaken by "other rapidly emerging powers".
"India needs a new leap forward in science. The nation expects a lot from you," the Prime Minister said in a video message to young scientists of IGIB.
India had the good fortune of investing in science long before other developing countries did, he said.
Singh said it was the patriotism of the generation represented by scientists like C V Raman and J C Bose that had enabled the political leadership to help build research capabilities across the country.
"Yet, in more recent years, we see India overtaken by rapidly emerging powers," he said.
Singh asked the scientists to rediscover the patriotism of an earlier generation, match the enterprise and capability of peers around the world and help the country leap frog in the future.
The Prime Minister was scheduled to visit the new IGIB campus, the first developed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in 25 years. However, the visit was cancelled due to logistical reasons.
"I hope this new physical environment will stimulate you to seek newer frontiers of research," Singh said.
