On the afternoon of May 11, 1998, India shook the Thar Desert as three nuclear devices detonated simultaneously at the Pokhran Test Range in Rajasthan, in what the world would come to know as Operation Shakti (Pokhran-II). The same day in Bengaluru, India's first indigenous aircraft, the Hansa-3, made its maiden flight, a two-seat, lightweight trainer developed by the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL).
Together, these two events on a single day made India a nuclear power and a maker of indigenous aircraft. The then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee declared May 11 as National Technology Day the very next year, in 1999.
Today, on the 28th National Technology Day, the spirit of the occasion has expanded far beyond defence.
"Technology has become a key pillar in building a self-reliant India. It is accelerating innovation, expanding opportunities and contributing to the nation’s growth across sectors. Our continued focus remains on empowering talent, encouraging research and creating solutions that serve both national progress and the aspirations of our people," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The government is hosting "Vigyan Tech 2026", a sprawling three-day showcase at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi starting Monday, bringing together over 3,000 stakeholders and more than 500 technologies and innovations from national research organisations, scientific ministries and startups.
Nine cutting-edge technologies backed by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) alone are on display, alongside innovations from 14 scientific ministries and departments.
My Message on #NationalTechnologyDay. pic.twitter.com/V1G32NLYnL
— Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) May 11, 2026
The celebrations reflect India's broader scientific ambitions in 2026. Under the National Quantum Mission, quantum teaching laboratories are now being set up in 23 academic institutions across the country, with 100 more under consideration.
