Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Feb 20: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology; Earth Sciences; and MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, held a bilateral assembly with the UK Minister for AI and Online Safety, Kanishka Narayan, on the sidelines of the continuing AI Summit at Bharat Mandapam right here. 36 yr previous Kanishka Narayan occurs to be of Indian origin, hailing from the State of Bihar.
The assembly targeted on strengthening India-UK collaboration in Artificial Intelligence, vital and rising applied sciences, and research-driven innovation throughout the framework of the long-standing bilateral Science & Technology partnership.
India and the United Kingdom are working below an institutional mechanism anchored within the Science and Innovation Council (SIC), the apex physique that evaluations bilateral scientific cooperation between the 2 nations. The subsequent assembly of the SIC is scheduled to be held in India in April 2026.
Both sides reviewed progress below the India-UK Research and Innovation MoU signed in April 2023, which promotes collaboration amongst authorities businesses, increased training establishments, analysis organisations, startups, and trade for long-term sustainable development. Dr. Jitendra Singh shared India’s fast development in innovation and know-how ecosystems, mirrored in its rise from 81st place in 2015 to thirty eighth place in 2025 within the Global Innovation Index.He mentioned that India’s scale, digital public infrastructure, increasing startup base and powerful analysis capability make it a most well-liked accomplice for world know-how collaborations.
The discussions coated ongoing joint initiatives in telecom analysis, clear vitality, biotechnology and agriculture, ocean and local weather science, superior supplies and manufacturing, and quantum applied sciences.Under the DST-UKRI telecom collaboration, joint analysis tasks in next-generation communication applied sciences have been initiated. In the realm of business R&D, each nations are supporting tasks in Net Zero applied sciences, superior manufacturing, renewable vitality storage, and sustainable techniques.
The India-UK Net Zero Innovation Partnership is advancing scalable clear know-how options, together with electrical mobility, hydrogen, industrial decarbonisation, and carbon seize initiatives. These collaborations are aligned with India’s broader objectives of inexperienced development and sustainable improvement.
The assembly additionally mentioned progress in the direction of establishing a Research and Innovation Corridor geared toward facilitating partnerships amongst startups, incubators, innovation hubs, and trade in each nations. The initiative is predicted to strengthen know-how trade and help collaborative entrepreneurship.
India highlighted its flagship nationwide missions, together with the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems, the Quantum Technology Mission, the Geospatial Mission, Electric Mobility initiatives, Deep Ocean Mission, and Biomanufacturing programmes, which supply expanded avenues for world partnerships.
The Indian delegation included Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology; senior representatives from the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Department of Biotechnology and Ministry of External Affairs; Dr. Praveenkumar Somasundaram, Advisor & Head, International Cooperation, DST; and Dr. Sulakshana Jain, Scientist F, DST.
The UK delegation was led by Kanishka Narayan, who serves because the UK Minister for AI and Online Safety and oversees AI alternatives, semiconductors, mental property, tech development, and on-line security; Sophia Nestius-Booth, Regional Director, Science & Technology Network, British High Commission; Jack Landers, Head of Science & Innovation; and Jack Collins, Minister’s Private Secretary.