India’s S&T Clusters Push Research From Labs Into Real-World Use

The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India released the Science and Technology Clusters Annual Report 2025–26 on 13 August 2026.

India's network of Science and Technology Clusters is increasingly focused on turning research into practical products and services, with projects spanning healthcare, agriculture, advanced manufacturing, climate resilience and emerging technologies moving closer to deployment and commercial use.

The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India released the Science and Technology Clusters Annual Report 2025–26 on 13 August 2026. Principal Scientific Adviser Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood chaired the launch, which brought together leaders from eight S&T Clusters operating across major innovation centres including Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune, Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar.

Clusters Take on Role as Technology Accelerators

The report describes the clusters as regional innovation ecosystems that are developing into "National Technology Accelerators", connecting researchers with companies, startups, government agencies and shared scientific infrastructure so promising ideas have a clearer route from laboratory research to practical application.

Projects highlighted include AI-enabled Digital Podiatry Clinics, artificial intelligence tools for agriculture and weather intelligence, indigenous pacemaker components, patient-specific 3D-printed implants, E-Yantram and One Health initiatives.

National platforms such as Kalaanubhav.in and i-Passport also feature in the report, showing how solutions initially developed through individual clusters can potentially be adapted for wider use.

Sood called for stronger collaboration between clusters and deeper engagement with industry, with progress measured through technology readiness levels, real-world validation, commercialisation and visible social and economic benefits.

Regional Projects Begin Expanding Across India

Collaboration between clusters is already helping some projects move beyond their original locations. The Digital Podiatry Clinic developed through the Bengaluru Science and Technology Cluster has expanded to PI-RAHI, while Jodhpur cluster initiative Kalaanubhav.in is being scaled through other clusters.

The I-RISE programme is helping researchers access advanced scientific infrastructure through the cluster network, while AMTZ's i-Passport is being considered for national expansion.

Such a rollout could give innovators broader access to testing facilities, technical mentorship, regulatory assistance, infrastructure and industry connections without requiring every region to recreate the same support system independently.

International Partnerships Expand Innovation Network

India's S&T Clusters are also developing partnerships overseas in fields including healthcare, smart agriculture, sustainable mobility, advanced manufacturing, climate resilience and net-zero technologies. The first International Conference on S&T Clusters, held in December 2025, attracted participants from more than 35 countries and resulted in 12 international memorandums of understanding. Further collaborations have involved the University of Western Australia, the India-Australia Smart Farm Network and the UK Catapult Network.

Scientific Secretary Dr Parvinder Maini said the cluster model is showing greater maturity, while calling for stronger industry participation in validating technologies and moving them towards deployment. The report suggests the next phase will place greater emphasis on scaling solutions that have already demonstrated results, giving successful regional innovations a pathway towards national adoption and commercial markets.