New Delhi: India is building a national Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) ecosystem through the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS), connecting research institutions, industry, Government and international partners to develop indigenous technologies and take research from laboratories to practical applications.

The Union Cabinet approved NM-ICPS in 2018 with an outlay of ₹3,660 crore for nine years. The mission, implemented by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), covers research and development, translational research, product development, skill development and start-up incubation.

What Are Cyber-Physical Systems?

Cyber-Physical Systems connect computing technologies with physical systems through sensors, software and communication networks. These systems can sense their surroundings, process information and respond to changing conditions in real time.

Driverless cars, smart factories, connected medical devices, smart buildings, cleaning robots and fitness trackers are examples of technologies using similar capabilities. At their core, CPS technologies combine computation, communication and physical processes to create intelligent, connected and responsive systems.

25 Technology Innovation Hubs Established

Under NM-ICPS, the Government has established 25 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs) as Section 8 companies at premier academic institutions across the country.

The hubs work across four broad areas: Technology Development; Human Resource Development and Skill Development; Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Start-up Development; and International Collaborations.

Besides conducting research, the hubs develop technology platforms, translate research into products and support technology-based start-ups. They also work with Government Ministries to identify national challenges and develop practical solutions.

Four Technology Translation Research Parks

The mission is also increasing its focus on deployment and commercialisation of promising technologies. In 2025, four high-performing TIHs were selected and supported as Technology Translation Research Parks (TTRPs).

The TTRPs were established at IIT Kanpur, IISc Bengaluru, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad and IIT Indore.

• IIT Kanpur: Cybersecurity
• IISc Bengaluru: Robotics and AI Systems
• IIT (ISM) Dhanbad: Mining Technologies, from exploration to mineral beneficiation
• IIT Indore: Digital Healthcare

The four TTRPs are designed to accelerate technology translation and commercialisation.

1,146 Technologies and 1,329 Technology Products

As of August 2026, NM-ICPS has enabled 1,146 technologies and supported intellectual property creation and licensing. The mission has also contributed to 1,329 technology products across agriculture, healthcare, mining, cybersecurity, advanced communication and positioning, among other areas.

Human resource development and skill enhancement are also key parts of the mission. The CHANAKYA — Comprehensive and Holistic Advancement of National Knowledge Yield and Analytics — Fellowship Programme supports undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD and postdoctoral researchers working on real-world CPS challenges through specialised Technology Innovation Hubs.

As of August 2026, the mission has awarded 5,824 fellowships. It has also provided skill development training to more than 2.46 lakh professionals.

1,136 Start-ups Incubated, Over 24,000 Jobs

NM-ICPS is supporting entrepreneurship by helping research-based innovations move towards commercialisation. The mission has incubated 1,136 start-ups and spin-offs, contributing to more than 24,000 jobs.

International engagement is another part of the programme. The mission has established 200 international collaborations, strengthening India's engagement in the emerging technology domain.

BharatGen Adds Sovereign AI Capabilities

As Cyber-Physical Systems become more intelligent, artificial intelligence is emerging as an important layer connecting machines, people and physical environments. BharatGen, supported under NM-ICPS, is developing sovereign AI capabilities tailored to Indian languages and contexts.

Led by IIT Bombay with a consortium of academic institutions, BharatGen covers text, speech and vision-language technologies. Its latest Param-2 foundation model has 17 billion parameters and supports all 22 Scheduled Indian languages.

BharatGen has also developed Shrutam speech-to-text and Sooktam text-to-speech models supporting 12 Indian languages. Patram, developed under the DocBodh framework, enables multilingual access to complex Indian documents.

Its domain-specific models include Ayur Param for Ayurveda, Agri Param for agriculture and Legal Param for the Indian legal domain.

Healthcare: Digital Twin of Human Body

NM-ICPS-supported technologies are being applied across healthcare, agriculture, mining, communications, cybersecurity and mobility.

In healthcare, the Drishti CPS Foundation at IIT Indore has developed CharakDT, a digital twin of the human body. It simulates the lungs, eyes and heart to study disease progression and test treatments virtually.

A digital twin is a live virtual copy of a real-world physical object, process or system. It uses real-time data from smart sensors to mirror, track and study how the real system works and behaves.

Agriculture: Real-Time Farm Monitoring

Researchers at IIT Bombay have developed the Agri-IoT Farm Management System to monitor soil, weather and micro-climate conditions.

The technology supports efficient use of water and fertilisers while improving farm productivity.

Mining: Drones with Data Transmission Up to 50 km

In mining, CPS technologies are being used to improve safety through drones, robotics and remote monitoring.

The TEXMiN hub at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad has developed drones capable of transmitting data up to 50 km. This enables real-time monitoring while reducing exposure to hazardous locations.

Advanced Communication and 5G

In advanced communication, a key achievement is the 5G-Advanced ORAN Massive MIMO Radio Unit (32TR RU) developed at IIIT Bengaluru.

The indigenous technology enables high-speed, reliable and cost-effective 5G connectivity and is particularly relevant for extending advanced communication infrastructure to remote areas.

Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure

With physical infrastructure becoming increasingly connected digitally, cybersecurity is an important part of the CPS ecosystem.

The IHUB NTIHAC Foundation at IIT Kanpur is developing solutions to secure critical infrastructure and Cyber-Physical Systems. Its IT-OT Security Operations Centre continuously monitors Information Technology and Operational Technology environments.

The hub has also developed Crypto-Forensic Tools to support Law Enforcement Agencies in investigating cryptocurrency-related crimes.

Autonomous Vehicles, Drones and Intelligent Mobility

The TiHAN Foundation at IIT Hyderabad has established India's first dedicated proving ground for autonomous navigation. The testbed validates aerial and terrestrial autonomous vehicles before their real-world deployment.

At IISc Bengaluru, the I-Hub for Robotics and Autonomous Systems is working on intelligent mobility solutions. Its iRASTE application identifies accident-prone locations and provides real-time alerts to drivers.

The system is currently being piloted in Nagpur, with plans for expansion to other cities.

Building a Technology-Driven and Self-Reliant India

Through NM-ICPS, India is building capabilities that connect scientific research with national development priorities. The mission's TIHs and TTRPs are supporting the movement of technologies from research to validation, deployment and commercialisation.

At the same time, BharatGen is adding sovereign, multilingual AI capabilities to the technology ecosystem. Together, these initiatives are aimed at making connected systems more intelligent, secure, accessible and responsive to Indian needs.

The wider deployment of indigenous Cyber-Physical Systems can support smarter infrastructure, efficient services and new economic opportunities, contributing to a technology-driven, innovation-led and self-reliant Viksit Bharat.