Ahmedabad — With an eye on transforming India into a global research powerhouse, NITI Aayog convened its Fifth Regional Consultative Meeting on Ease of Doing R&D at Science City, Ahmedabad, on August 12–13. The event was held in collaboration with the Gujarat Council of Science and Technology (GUJCOST) and brought together over 110 stakeholders from across academia, research, and government.
The central theme? How to make research easier, faster, and more globally competitive in India.
Why This Meeting Matters
India’s research and innovation ecosystem has long faced challenges — red tape, fragmented funding, and gaps between academia and industry. This consultative meet aimed to directly tackle those hurdles.
From simplifying processes to encouraging institutional autonomy, the focus was clear: build an R&D ecosystem that supports breakthrough science and innovation.
Leadership Voices and Key Messages
- Ms. P. Bharathi, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Gujarat, opened the discussion with a strong message: Gujarat is fully committed to supporting the Prime Minister’s vision of a “Viksit Bharat” by empowering research at every level.
- Dr. Nilesh Desai, Director of ISRO’s Space Applications Centre, used the occasion to announce a 12-day space science outreach program to mark National Space Day, linking space awareness to the broader R&D push.
- Delivering the keynote address, renowned scientist and former CSIR Director General Dr. R.A. Mashelkar offered a reality check. While progress has been made, India still needs serious institutional reform, better funding models, and a strong culture of innovation.
- Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog, closed the meet by calling for nothing less than a complete transformation of India’s research institutions. He emphasized:
- Cutting unnecessary compliance
- Promoting high-impact, industry-linked research
- Benchmarking institutions against global standards
What Comes Next
The meeting wasn’t just talk. The inputs collected here will help shape a national strategy to improve the ease of conducting R&D across India.
Participants agreed: Without smoother systems, better access to knowledge, and deeper academia–industry ties, India will fall short of its innovation potential.
This consultation is part of a broader national effort — one that NITI Aayog has been steadily building through regional dialogues — to make India a top destination for researchers, inventors, and global scientific collaborations.
