The Department of Science and Technology has outlined progress under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS), a government initiative to build India’s capabilities in technology that merges computing with physical infrastructure. The mission, approved by the Union Cabinet in 2018, aims to transform research into working solutions across healthcare, agriculture, mining and other critical sectors.
What the Mission Covers
Cyber-Physical Systems are machines and infrastructure that use sensors, software and networks to sense their surroundings, process information and respond automatically. Examples include driverless cars, smart factories, medical monitoring devices and intelligent buildings.
The NM-ICPS operates with a budget of Rs 3,660 crore over nine years. It functions through two main institutional channels:
- 25 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs) hosted by leading academic institutions across the country, working on technology development, skills training, start-up support and international partnerships
- Four Technology Translation Research Parks (TTRPs) established in 2025 at IIT Kanpur, IISc Bengaluru, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad and IIT Indore, each focusing on specific sectors such as cybersecurity, robotics, mining and digital healthcare
By August 2026, the mission had enabled 1,146 technologies and supported creation of 1,329 technology products. It has provided skills training to over 2.46 lakh professionals through the CHANAKYA Fellowship Programme, which had awarded 5,824 fellowships to researchers. The mission has also incubated 1,136 start-ups generating over 24,000 jobs, and established 200 international collaborations.
A related initiative called BharatGen, led by IIT Bombay, develops artificial intelligence tools in Indian languages. Its latest model supports all 22 Scheduled Indian languages and includes specialized applications for Ayurveda, agriculture and legal documents.
Current applications under the mission span multiple sectors. In healthcare, digital twin technology simulates organs to test treatments. In agriculture, IoT systems monitor soil and weather to optimize water and fertilizer use. Mining operations use drones that transmit data over 50 km. In communications, indigenous 5G technology enables connectivity in remote areas. Autonomous vehicle testing facilities operate in cities like Nagpur to validate self-driving systems before deployment.
What This Means for You
These developments may eventually reach ordinary citizens through smarter medical devices that monitor health continuously, farming tools that help increase crop yields, safer autonomous vehicles on Indian roads, and 5G connectivity reaching remote villages. Students and researchers have access to fellowship funding and start-up incubation support. Companies operating in these sectors can access technology platforms and licensing opportunities developed under the mission.