India, Sept. 14 -- Every Engineer's Day is a chance to look back at what engineering has made possible. This year, it is also worth looking at what India is now asking engineers to build.

The scale of the country's technology push has changed the brief. The Rs.1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation Fund, approved in 2025, targets areas including AI, robotics, quantum technologies, space, biotechnology and advanced manufacturing. The National Quantum Mission carries an outlay of Rs.6,003.65 crore, while the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems has a Rs.3,660 crore outlay and 25 Technology Innovation Hubs. These are not isolated technology programmes. Together, they point to an economy where engineering p...