NITI Aayog meet calls for reforms to boost India's R&D ecosystem
The meet, jointly initiated by NITI Aayog and hosted by the Gujarat Council on Science and Technology (GUJCOST), concluded on Wednesday at Science City, Ahmedabad, with a renewed vision to make India a globally competitive hub for research and innovation.
The two-day deliberation, held on August 12 and 13 brought together over 110 eminent leaders from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
Participants shared insights and actionable recommendations to simplify administrative processes, accelerate translational research, strengthen institutional competitiveness, and enhance access to knowledge resources. Prof Vivek Kumar Singh, Senior Adviser, NITI Aayog, opened the discussions by stressing upon 'the urgent need for structural reforms, agile regulatory systems, and collaborative models to unlock India's R&D potential'.
'Scientific advancement demands not only investments but also an ecosystem that is agile, transparent, and enabling,' he said. Delivering the valedictory address, Dr V K Saraswat, Member (S&T), NITI Aayog, urged stakeholders to transform Indian research institutions into globally benchmarked centres of excellence. He called for 'simplification of compliance procedures, institutional benchmarking, and stronger academia–industry linkages to drive high-impact and self-reliant research'.
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