Noted scientist Prof V Ramgopal Rao highlights India's significant progress in higher education and research but points out a critical gap in converting scientific discoveries into market-ready technologies. He advocates for a robust institutional framework, multidisciplinary collaboration, and stronger academia-industry ties to foster innovation and translate research into practical products.
IIT Madras, in partnership with Herbalife International India, has inaugurated India's first Centre of Excellence for plant cell fermentation technology. This new facility aims to be a national hub for sustainable innovation, research, and development, focusing on producing herbal biomass, enriched extracts, and high-value phytochemicals, while bridging the gap between lab research and industrial applications.
A one-day patent workshop was held at CSIR-NIIST to promote intellectual property awareness and equip researchers and startups with essential knowledge in patent filing and innovation.
Aequs Group, in collaboration with IIT-Dharwad, has established an advanced research and development facility for materials science and manufacturing innovation at the IIT-Dharwad campus.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar announced the establishment of India's first government-driven Artificial Intelligence University and an AI Hub in Bengaluru. This initiative aims to position Karnataka as a global leader in responsible AI innovation, fostering talent, research, and collaboration. The state seeks to become an AI-native state, leveraging AI to improve governance and daily life across various sectors.
India spends less than one per cent of GDP on research and development.
Deloitte India has partnered with IIT Bombay to launch a Quantum Technology Centre, aiming to accelerate quantum adoption, research, and enterprise use-cases for Indian businesses.
IIT Madras is hosting the 3rd Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) Symposium 2026 in partnership with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and RISC-V International. The symposium aims to unite stakeholders from government, industry, and academia to advance India's semiconductor innovation, focusing on indigenous processor technologies, secure computing, hardware innovation, and AI, aligning with the government's vision for India as a global semiconductor hub.
Andhra Pradesh and Punjab National Bank (PNB) have signed an MoU to establish the PNB Quantum Finance Hub at Amaravati Quantum Valley. This initiative aims to foster innovation and adopt next-generation technologies like AI and Quantum Computing in the banking sector, focusing on cybersecurity, fraud detection, and customer experience.
The Battle Axe Division of the Army's Southern Command organised an academia-industry interaction on drone innovation in Jaisalmer, promoting collaboration for emerging defence technologies.
A NITI Aayog report outlines India's potential to scale its bioeconomy to USD 691 billion by 2035 and USD 2.6 trillion by 2047, creating over 30 million high-value jobs. The report stresses the need for coordinated national execution, regulatory reforms, a strengthened talent pipeline, and a significant BioEconomy Growth Fund to achieve this vision, positioning India among the top biotechnology powers globally.
A new study reveals that despite China's significant control over global rare earth mining and processing, its dominance has a critical weakness: the US and Japan hold the majority of core patents for advanced rare earth functional material technologies. This technological gap means China lags in higher-value applications, impacting its strategic advantage in the industry.
Graphite electrode maker TACC has signed an initial agreement with the Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials to collaborate in the fields of advanced materials science, nanotechnology, and related disciplines.
'The Indian private space sector is no longer a high-risk bet; it is a highly bankable, globally competitive asset class capable of easing the global small satellite launch bottleneck.'
Shoolini University has launched a Centre for Robotics and AI in collaboration with Sirena Technologies to provide students with industrial-grade robotics training and bridge the gap between academia and industry.
The Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur has announced the launch of a new school dedicated to digital learning, applied artificial intelligence, and machine learning, supported by a significant philanthropic commitment.
CSIR Director General N Kalaiselvi emphasised the importance of research and applied sciences in developing sustainable solutions for India's energy security and environmental challenges at an international conference on Sustainability Through Fundamental and Applied Sciences (STFAS), 2026.
Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI) has partnered with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi for joint research programmes focused on the future of mobility and engineering systems.
Andhra Pradesh is set to inaugurate India's first indigenously developed, open-access quantum computer test beds, Amaravati 1S and 1Q, at SRM University, marking a significant advancement in the nation's quantum computing capabilities.
IIT Kharagpur Director Suman Chakraborty urged Calcutta University to become a key player in a globally networked knowledge ecosystem during the university's convocation. He emphasised the importance of knowledge sharing, curiosity, and leveraging science and technology to solve problems.
'Policy consistency combined with timely and calibrated reforms are expected to ensure that India not only maintains macroeconomic stability, but also emerges as a globally competitive and inclusive economy.'
Concerns have emerged about the impact of AI adoption on young workers, particularly those seeking their first job in high-skilled occupations.
'Despite being a software powerhouse, we're not producing proportionate original IP, frameworks, or global tech products originating in India.'
The National Health Authority (NHA) is promoting the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX) to standardise and simplify health insurance claims processing in India, aiming for a seamless and reliable digital infrastructure similar to UPI.
Defence Procurement Manual 2025 lays down the guiding principles for revenue procurements in the defence ministry worth around 1 trillion in a financial year.
The government on Sunday gave a strong push to upgradation and expansion of healthcare infrastructure, medical education and pharma sector with the Union Budget 2026-27 announcing a slew of steps, including those aimed at making India a global hub for allied healthcare professionals and biopharma manufacturing.
To turn disruption into opportunity, NITI Aayog has recommended the launch of a National AI Talent Mission to make India the AI workforce capital of the world.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh lauded 'Operation Sindoor' as a prime example of tri-services synergy, emphasizing Pakistan's ongoing recovery from the operation's impact. He highlighted the need for coordinated defense strategies and civil-military fusion to address modern security challenges.
Cisco, in collaboration with AICTE, is offering virtual internships in networking and cyber security through the Cisco Networking Academy. This remote, two-month programme provides hands-on learning, industry exposure and a chance to build practical technical skills that will enhance the student's employability.
The Indian armed forces will conduct an exercise to test the capabilities of its drones and counter-drone systems. The exercise, named 'Cold Start', will involve all three services and will take place in Madhya Pradesh.
The only other company working on hydrogen cars in India is Toyota Kirloskar Motor.
'We sent just 500 people from India to the US on H-1B visas. There is no dependence on H-1B visas.'
'...hesitate to support the risk-taking it requires.'
The jackets have been developed at the DRDO Industry Academia Centre of Excellence at IIT-Delhi, the ministry said in a statement.
Artificial Intelligence, innovation and next-generation technologies figured prominently during the high-stakes discussion between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump at the White House, as the two sides announced transformative measures, including the US-India TRUST initiative, roadmap on accelerating AI infrastructure and INDUS Innovation, to boost tech ties.
'Make-in-India played a key role in India's effective action against terrorism during Operation Sindoor.'
Companies have been approached to set up incubation centres that will offer financial and non-financial support to manufacturing startups at various levels.
'Our vision for the future includes the creation of an active ecosystem, human space flight, a human space station.'
"I am visualising a "Virtual Collaborative GRID for Aerospace and Automotive Research and development" to enable design (become) reality -- a product life cycle management framework that will enable India realise its vision for the manufacturing sector and become competitive in the defence and the commercial market of aerospace and automotive sector," Kalam said in Chennai.
The growing decline of MTech applicants in Indian colleges is due to multiple factors, including outdated curricula, poor return on investment and lucrative non-engineering alternatives, say experts.
