The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word BIOTECH
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Modern industry" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case modern industry = biotech.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does BIOTECH mean?
BIOTECH noun- Biotechnology
- A company specializing in biotechnology, or stock in such a company
- Of, or relating to biotechnology