National Engineers’ Day 2025: Engineering Excellence Driving India Forward
National Engineers’ Day is celebrated every year on September 15 to honour the birth anniversary of Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, one of India’s greatest engineers. In a post on X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Today, on Engineers’ Day, I pay homage to Sir M. Visvesvaraya, whose brilliance left an indelible mark on India’s engineering landscape. I extend warm greetings to all engineers … Our engineers will continue playing a crucial role in the collective efforts to build a Viksit Bharat.” The transformation is now being powered by multiple ministries, the Ministry of Railways, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, and the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, working together under the central government’s Act East, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE), and North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) frameworks to upgrade rail, road, and rural connectivity at scale.
India is now home to nearly 20% of the world’s chip design engineers. The country also ranks first globally in AI skill penetration, as per the Stanford AI Index 2024. These signals point to India not just keeping pace, but in many areas leading the global technology curve. Lastly, the National Quantum Mission, aiming to build quantum computers with up to 1,000 physical qubits by 2031, reflects the government’s intention to invest heavily in frontier technologies.
While these numbers are impressive, they are rooted in systematic efforts across ministries and institutions. The Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), the Department of Science & Technology (DST), and other bodies are deep in the mix, with policy support, funding, and academic and R&D institutions all contributing to building engineering capacity and supporting breakthrough innovations.
Engineers are being empowered not just through scale but through opportunity. The increasing number of graduates, expansion of research programs, and establishment of labs in AI, data science, and quantum fields are helping decentralize tech innovation beyond big cities. Rural, semi-urban, and Tier-2/Tier-3 zones are also being plugged in via digital infrastructure, online education, and collaboration with industry.
India’s engineering ecosystem is now underpinned by a global mindset. Leading metrics like chip design talent share or AI skill penetration don’t just serve prestige; they translate into greater ability to design homegrown solutions, reduce dependence on imports, and contribute to strategic sectors such as telecom, defense, health technology, and clean energy.
As India celebrates Engineers’ Day 2025, the message is clear: engineers are not just acknowledged for what they build but for their role in innovation, global competitiveness, and using technology as a lever for inclusive growth. With its talent, policy momentum, and growing institutional support, India is well-positioned to realize the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, where engineering excellence drives sustainable prosperity for all.
