Govt and FICCI Join Hands to Build India’s Next-Generation R&D and Deep-Tech Innovation Ecosystem

Officials described the collaboration as a critical move toward transforming India from a consumer of global technologies into a co-creator of globally scalable innovation solutions.

In a major push to strengthen India's research, innovation and deep-tech ecosystem, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) to accelerate collaboration between industry, academia and research institutions.

The agreement, signed on May 6, 2026, at Kartavya Bhavan in New Delhi, marks a significant step toward building a more integrated and commercially driven national research and development ecosystem aligned with India's ambitions of becoming a global innovation powerhouse.

The partnership aims to bridge long-standing gaps between scientific research and industrial application by promoting:

• Translational research

• Technology commercialization

• Industry-academia collaboration

• Deep-tech innovation

• Policy dialogue

• Strategic R&D partnerships

Officials described the collaboration as a critical move toward transforming India from a consumer of global technologies into a co-creator of globally scalable innovation solutions.

India Seeks Shift From "Academia to Applications"

Speaking at the event, FICCI Vice President and Managing Director of Dalmia Bharat Group, Mr Puneet Dalmia, described the MoU as more than just an institutional agreement — calling it a "mindset shift" for India's innovation ecosystem.

He said the partnership seeks to transition:

• From academia to applications

• From silos to systems

• From translational to transformational innovation

Dalmia stressed that India must increasingly position itself as a global co-creator of solutions capable of delivering measurable societal and industrial impact.

"India should be a co-creator of solutions globally, with the solutions being outcome driven and having a measurable impact," he said.

Experts say India's innovation ecosystem has historically faced challenges in translating laboratory research into scalable commercial products and industrial technologies.

The new partnership aims to address that structural gap by creating stronger institutional pathways connecting research organisations, startups, industries and policymakers.

Government Expanding National R&D Funding Ecosystem

Scientific Secretary in the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, Dr Parvinder Maini, highlighted several ongoing government initiatives aimed at strengthening India's long-term research and innovation infrastructure.

These include:

• Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF)

• Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund

• Newly announced Fund of Funds initiatives

Dr Maini emphasised the importance of increasing private-sector participation in research and development activities, particularly among:

• Industries

• MSMEs

• Startups

• Emerging technology enterprises

She noted that improving industrial participation in R&D would eventually strengthen India's Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD), a key indicator of innovation investment.

"These efforts will eventually reflect in the Gross Expenditure on Research and Development," she said.

Focus on Deep-Tech, Green Energy and Emerging Technologies

Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, highlighted the growing importance of technology diffusion and deep-tech innovation in driving India's next phase of economic growth.

He said India must rapidly scale innovation in high-priority technology areas such as:

• Solar energy

• Green batteries

• Clean energy systems

• Advanced materials

• Deep-tech manufacturing

• Strategic technologies

"There is a need to scale high-tech priority areas such as solar energy and green batteries," Prof. Sood said.

He added that the government-supported RDI Fund provides a major opportunity for industries and startups to undertake advanced deep-tech research and commercial innovation.

Analysts say India is increasingly positioning itself to compete globally in frontier technology sectors as governments worldwide race to secure leadership in strategic emerging industries.

Stronger Industry-Academia Linkages at Core of Partnership

One of the key objectives of the MoU is to create structured engagement between:

• Research institutions

• Universities

• Startups

• Industry leaders

• Policymakers

• Technology developers

Officials believe stronger industry-academia collaboration is essential for:

• Accelerating innovation cycles

• Commercialising research outputs

• Building globally competitive technologies

• Improving technology transfer

• Strengthening startup ecosystems

Prof. Sood said the collaboration between the Office of PSA and FICCI would create a national-level coordination framework capable of connecting stakeholders across India's R&D landscape.

"This MoU between O/o PSA and FICCI will bring structured engagement, enabling industry–academia linkages and connecting all stakeholders across India's R&D ecosystem to deliver tangible results," he said.

International Collaboration and Resilient Innovation Ecosystems

Mr Shaurya Doval, Director of Sangam Foundation, highlighted the importance of international collaboration and resilient indigenous innovation systems.

He stressed the need to:

• Expand international R&D participation

• Strengthen scalability of Indian technologies

• Build resilience in strategic sectors such as energy

Experts note that as geopolitical competition intensifies globally, countries are increasingly prioritising domestic innovation ecosystems capable of supporting:

• Strategic autonomy

• Energy security

• Technology sovereignty

• Supply-chain resilience

Industry Leaders Highlight Commercialisation Challenges

During the discussions, FICCI Secretary General Mr Anant Swarup spoke about the need to improve:

• Commercialisation pathways

• Scalability of innovations

• Organisational agility

• Innovation adoption

Meanwhile, industry leaders including:

• Mr Alok Sriram, Senior Managing Director, DCM Sriram

• Mr Agam Khare, Founder & CEO, Absolute

highlighted the growing role of industrial R&D in sectors such as:

• Energy solutions

• Pharmaceuticals

• Agricultural biotechnology

• Sustainability technologies

Formal Signing Marks Strategic Long-Term Collaboration

The MoU was formally signed and exchanged between:

• Dr Preeti Banzal, Scientist-G/Adviser, Office of PSA

• Shri Sumeet Gupta, Deputy Secretary General, FICCI

The ceremony was attended by senior representatives from government, industry and research organisations, including:

• Mr Anoop AN, Dalmia Bharat Group

• Dr Barada Prasad, Director & Head / R&D and Innovation / Startup

• Mr Amit Mishra, Deputy Director

• Ms Divya Chhabra, Senior Assistant Director, FICCI

• Dr Divya Vashisth, OSD, OPSA

India Positioning Itself as Global Innovation Hub

The agreement reflects India's broader ambition to emerge as a global centre for:

• Advanced research

• Deep-tech innovation

• Sustainable technologies

• Industrial R&D

• Knowledge-driven economic growth

Experts believe the partnership could help accelerate India's transition toward a more innovation-intensive economy capable of competing globally in strategic technology sectors.

By strengthening collaboration between scientific institutions and industry, the initiative aims to create a more dynamic, commercially viable and globally connected R&D ecosystem aligned with the long-term vision of Viksit Bharat.