Office of Principal Scientific Adviser to the GoI

@PrinSciAdvGoI, Prof. @AjaySoodIISc addressed the Wadhwani Innovation Network (WIN) Conclave on 15 May 2025, speaking on “Scaling Science for Social Good towards a Viksit Bharat: Vision for a Convergent Innovation Ecosystem.” He was joined by Dr @drshirshendum, Managing Director, Wadhwani Innovation Network; Dr @ajaykela, Global CEO and Board Member, @wadhwanif ; and Dr @archnavyas, India Country Director, @gatesfoundation. In his inaugural address, Prof. Sood emphasised the convergent potential of frontier technologies such as AI-Quantum-Biotech convergence and the growing possibilities created by this, especially in healthcare, precision medicine, and advanced computing. Referring to convergence of governance and policy ecosystem and the various stakeholders, Prof. Sood noted that institutional mechanisms such as the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council and the Empowered Technology Group have helped shape initiatives and industry-academia partnerships including the @ANRFIndia, National One Health Mission, and the Research, Development and Innovation Fund. Prof. Sood concluded by emphasising the need to move beyond isolated excellence towards broader collaboration and convergent innovation ecosystems.

𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐦 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫 @PrinSciAdvGoI Prof. @AjaySoodIISc, in his piece ‘Quantum Technologies are Knocking at Our Door’ highlighted how India is building a strong foundation in quantum technologies through the National Quantum Mission. The piece was published as part of the CII Quantum Technology Conclave - Quantum to Impact: From Research to Real-world Adoption in the April 2026 edition of TelecomLive. In this article, Prof Sood highlighted the rapid expansion of India's Quantum S&T ecosystem with 17 states and 43 institutions actively participating through the National Quantum Mission (@nqmdst) initiatives. The article also reflects on the aspects of Industry-readiness and industry-academia partnership potential for quantum R&D efforts through premier hotspots of country including the 4 quantum hubs: IISc Bengaluru, IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay and IIT Madras. Read the full article: psa.gov.in/CMS/web/sites/…

𝐌𝐞𝐠𝐚 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧2035: 𝐀 𝐒𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭(𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 - 1) - 𝐍𝐮𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐏𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐒&𝐓 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 In a conversation with the former Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Prof. V.S. Ramamurthy, he shares his insights on how large experimental ecosystems lead to advanced technologies, data sharing systems, and research infrastructure. He also noted that the true return on investment in science lies in building expertise, supporting institutions, training generations of researchers, and creating long-lasting scientific ecosystems to benefit society over decades. Read the full article here: psa.gov.in/CMS/web/sites/… Watch the Full conversation with Prof. V.S. Ramamurthy: youtube.com/watch?v=-2vzaE… #MegaScience #CERN #HiggsBoson #ScientificResearch #Innovation #IndiaInScience

#WATCH | Delhi | Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, Ajay Kumar Sood, says, "Today's event is very meaningful because it has two important outcomes. Number one, in the RDI (Research, Development and Innovation) fund, TDB (Technology Development Board) was nominated as a focus research organisation as a second-level fund manager, and they have selected five deep tech startups for funding, and a few more are in the pipeline. From the announcement of Rs 1 lakh crore corpus to its first implementation is a big step in a record time... Within six months, it has been actualised... We hope this Rs 1 lakh crore corpus will generate at least ten times more investment from the private sector. So the ball is in the private sector's court... The second event was to release the quantum safe ecosystem in India... A committee was formed under the National Quantum Mission, and they have made a report on how to implement it. This will be important for the financial sector because all our financial transactions will be unsafe when the quantum computers become very powerful..."

Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India Prof. @AjaySoodIISc addressed the gathering at the First Agreement Signing Ceremony of RDI Fund hosted by Technology Development Board (TDB) on 13 May 2026 at Dr Ambedkar International Centre. Prof. Sood was joined by Hon'ble Minister (S&T) @DrJitendraSingh ; Secretary @IndiaDST and Chairperson TDB Prof. @karandi65, CEO @CDOT_India Dr. Raj Kumar Upadhyay, Secretary TDB Dr. Rajesh Pathak, and officials of DST, ANRF and TDB in this event. Prof. Sood highlighted the significance and catalytic role of RDI Fund in strengthening India’s deep tech research and innovation ecosystem of the country. India's Quantum-Safe Ecosystem Framework was also released during this event. Prof Sood emphasised that RDI funds can enable investment in the quantum sector and urged industries and startups to get involved in the efforts to promote the domestic quantum ecosystem.

Ms. Sreya Ghose, Director - Partnerships and Operations, Rice Global India called on the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India Prof. @AjaySoodIISc and Scientific Secretary Dr (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini to explore areas of alignment between Rice’s strengths in science, engineering, and technology and India’s national priorities in research, innovation, and capacity building. The meeting deliberated on areas of research priorities such as artificial intelligence, energy transition, and AI-enabled healthcare and ways to globally contribute towards mission-driven, translational research. The meeting was joined by @RDesRoches, President; @VPforResearch, Executive Vice President for Research; Dr Caroline Levander, Vice President for Global Strategy; @NakhlehRice, Dean of Engineering and Computing; Mr. Stephen Bayer, Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations; Ms. Brandi Smith, Head of Communications; and Mr. Kapil Dua, Strategic Advisor from @RiceUniversity. Dr Preeti Banzal, Adviser/Scientist G and Dr Divya Vashisht, OSD joined from the Office of PSA.

Mr. Pranav Mishra, Director ICT, Electronic Manufacturing and Cyber Security, @AmchamIndia called on the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India Prof. @AjaySoodIISc to deliberate on policy initiatives and whitepaper on Artificial Intelligence (AI), further recommendations and national/global collaboration to strengthen the AI infrastructure. The meeting also focused on national missions such as India AI mission and India Semiconductor Mission (ISM 2.0) and India’s commitments under the Pax Silica Declaration. The meeting was also joined by Dr @hemangjshah, Director, @Applied_India; Mr. Aditya Gupta, Consultant, AMCHAM; Dr Preeti Banzal, Scientist G/Adviser; Mr. Rohit Gupta, Chief Technology Officer; and Mr. Animesh Jain, Senior Policy Fellow from Office of PSA.

Watch: Prof. @AjaySoodIISc, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, addressed the gathering at VigyanTech 2026 on National Technology Day 2026. Speaking about the significance of 11 May 1998 and the Pokhran-II tests, Prof. Sood reflected on how the moment showcased not just India’s technological strength, but also the confidence, scientific capability, and determination of the nation. He shared that National Technology Day is not only about celebrating milestones, but also about recognising the spirit of Anusandhan, innovation, and collaboration that continues to drive India towards a more self-reliant and technology-enabled future.

#विज्ञानTech2026 marks a pivotal shift in India’s scientific landscape, moving from isolated, institute-level events to a massive "Whole of Government" movement. As highlighted by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, @PrinSciAdvGoI, this national-level collaboration unites 14 different ministries under the vision of Viksit Bharat. The address emphasized the profound depth of Indian science and the critical importance of convergence in technology, particularly within DeepTech and AI. By focusing on the transition of indigenous technologies from the research phase to market readiness, this initiative ensures that innovation-led growth becomes a tangible reality for national development. ​#NationalTechnologyDay #राष्ट्रीयप्रौद्योगिकीदिवस #DeepTech #AI @DrJitendraSingh @rajesh_gokhale @BricDbt @NImmunology @NABI_India @bric_ils @NIPGRsocial @HydNiab @BRIC_CDFD @DBT_NCCS_Pune @ICGEB @DBT_inStem @DBT_NBRC @RGCB_Trivandrum @THSTIFaridabad @unescorcb @ICGEBNewDelhi @FollowDbtNibmg @unescorcb @BIRAC_2012 @IndiaDST @moesgoi @CSIR_IND @CSIR_NIScPR @Pharmadept @DAEIndia @ICMRDELHI @icarindia @DRDO_India @GoI_MeitY @isro @MOFPI_GOI @mnreindia

The Office of the PSA joined Vigyan-Tech 2026, a 14-Ministry Whole-of-Government celebration of indigenous innovation, by showcasing three frontier technologies from Society for Electronic Transactions and Security (SETS), Chennai, that are securing India’s quantum future and India’s digital sovereignty: ➡️Post-Quantum VPN — A Virtual Private Network secured with post-quantum cryptographic algorithms ➡️Certifying Authority (CA) — Indigenous Public Key Infrastructure for trusted digital identity and secure transactions ➡️Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG) — A silicon-photonics-based QRNG harnessing quantum mechanics to generate truly random numbers. Together, these technologies represent Aatmanirbhar Bharat in cybersecurity — built in India, for India, and securing the digital lives of 1.4 billion citizens in the quantum era. Learn more about these three SETS technologies: youtube.com/playlist?list=…

Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India Prof. @AjaySoodIISc delivered a special address on the National Technology Day at @NImmunology, New Delhi on 11 May 2026. Prof. Sood joined Hon'ble Minister (S&T) @DrJitendraSingh; and Secretary @DBTIndia Dr @rajesh_gokhale. In his address, Prof. Sood highlighted the historical importance of 11th May. 28 years ago on this day, Pokhran-II showed the world the depth of Indian science and portrayed India as self-reliant. He emphasised on the need for converging technologies and their translation for wider reach and benefit to society. He urged everyone to witness the indigenous innovations across the entire technology readiness spectrum at the exhibition. Prof. Sood also highlighted the various initiative undertaken to strengthen research, development, and innovation, including ANRF for research funding, the Deep-Tech and AI missions, the Quantum Mission, the recently launched RDIF for translational deep-tech, etc. The event also witnessed execution of license agreements, technology transfers, and launches of booklets and technologies.

𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐲 | 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 On the occasion of National Technology Day, Dr (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, emphasised on the need to build sovereign cyber security capability, which is a national imperative. She highlighted advancements in secure and reliable digital systems through Society for Electronic Transactions and Security (SETS) initiatives such as PQ-enabled Virtual Private Networks, Certifying Authority, and Quantum Random Number Generators.

𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐲 | 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 On the occasion of National Technology Day, Prof. @AjaySoodIISc, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, highlighted India’s journey towards technological leadership through mission-mode technology programmes. He emphasised the importance of translating scientific knowledge into deployable technologies through stronger collaboration between research institutions, industry, start-ups, and policymakers to create large-scale societal impact.

𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐲 2026 : 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 On the occasion of National Technology Day, OPSA highlights India’s growing technology and innovation ecosystem that is shaping a more self-reliant, future-ready, and science-driven nation. From the @nqmdst and @SemiconIndia to the National Green Hydrogen Mission, @OfficialINDIAai Mission, BioE3, Mission Seh-Sankalp, and Society for Electronic Transactions and Security (SETS), these initiatives are accelerating progress across quantum technologies, semiconductors, clean energy, AI, biotechnology, cyber security, and sustainable development. Guided by science-led decision making and collaborative innovation approach, these missions are strengthening India’s technological sovereignty, supporting large-scale societal impact, and bridging the gap between research and real-world implementation. Let us celebrates the collective efforts of researchers, institutions, industry, startups, and policymakers driving technological innovation across sectors.

𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐌 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐏𝐈-𝐑𝐀𝐇𝐈 | 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 In a special video message for the STEM Conclave at @PI_RAHI, Dr (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, highlighted the importance of creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for students, especially girls, to continue pursuing STEM education and careers. She highlighted that while many students show curiosity and interest in science from an early age, access to the right guidance, exposure, and opportunities often plays a crucial role in shaping their journey ahead. She emphasised the need to build pathways that encourage students to explore science with confidence and see STEM as meaningful and accessible. Dr Maini also appreciated the STEM Collective initiative led by PI-RAHI in collaboration with the District Administration of Patiala, @SSikhiya, @Genpact, and partner organisations for bringing together schools, institutions, and communities to support young learners at the grassroots level. Encouraging students to stay curious and keep asking questions, she noted that science and innovation need young minds, fresh ideas, and diverse perspectives to shape the future. Watch the full address here: youtu.be/5or44JpHbAU

The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (@ficci_india) on 6 May 2026. The partnership aims to foster a robust ecosystem for R&D by enabling industry–academia linkages and connecting all stakeholders across India’s R&D ecosystem. In her remarks, Dr (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, Office of PSA emphasised the need to bring industries together and involve MSMEs, leading to improved contribution of industries in R&D. Prof. @AjaySoodIISc, @PrinSciAdvGoI highlighted the need for technology diffusion across sectors and the government enabled RDI fund that supports industries and startups. The MoU was signed by Dr @PreetiBanzal, Scientist-G/Adviser on behalf of Office of PSA and Shri @Sumeet0518, Deputy Secretary General on behalf of @ficci_india. The ceremony was also joined by Mr. @puneet_dalmia, Vice President, FICCI & Managing Director; and Mr. Lovish Ahuja, Head -Sustainability from Dalmia Bharat Group; Dr @BaradaPanigrahy, Director & Head / R&D and Innovation / Startup; Mr @shaurya_doval, Director, Sangam Foundation; Mr. Alok Sriram, Senior Managing Director, @DCMShriramLtd; Mr. Agam Khare, Founder & CEO, @go_absolute; Mr @swarup_anant, Secretary General; Mr. Amit Mishra, Deputy Director; and Ms. Divya Chhabra, Senior Assistant Director from FICCI; and Dr Divya Vashisth, OSD, OPSA. Read the full Press Release here: pib.gov.in/PressReleasePa…

Ms. @diploscience, @UKRI_News International Director and Ms. Rebecca Brazier, UKRI Deputy Director for International Governance and Operations, UK called on the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India Prof. @AjaySoodIISc and Scientific Secretary Dr (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini to deliberate on UKRI-India collaboration. The discussion focused on potential areas of collaborations such as AI for discovery in Science and Engineering, Quantum and AI technology convergence and commercial solid-state batteries, which were emphasised by Prof. Sood as pre-competitive areas that can lead to new trends in bilateral cooperation programs. UKRI also mentioned about its on-going partnership with the Indian Government in the telecom sector. Dr. Maini highlighted how UKRI’s work in India can complement the UK-India Technology Security Initiative (TSI) which is a G2G initiative, by bringing industries onboard and pooling in resources for common areas of interest. The meeting was also joined by Mr. Ryan Warren, Acting Director and Dr @AnamZille, Senior Programme Manager from @UKRI_India; Mr. @JackLandersUK, Head of Science and Innovation, @UkinIndia; Dr. Preeti Banzal, Scientist G/Adviser and Ms. Remya Haridasan, Scientist E from the Office of PSA.

𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐕 𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚-𝐄𝐔 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥 (𝐓𝐓𝐂) With a combined funding of €15.2 million (~₹169 crore), this call focuses on advancing innovative recycling technologies, including high-efficiency recovery of critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and graphite, along with safe and digitalised collection systems. The programme will also support the development of a joint India-EU pilot line in India for real-world validation and industrial deployment by bringing together researchers, industries, and startups from both regions to strengthen circular economy practices. TTC was established in 2022 by Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi and European Commission President @vonderleyen to strengthen the India–EU partnership on trade and technology. Submission deadline: 15 September 2026 Read the full press release here: pib.gov.in/PressReleasePa… Prof. @AjaySoodIISc | H.E. @EUAmbIndia | Dr (Mrs) Parvinder Maini | @lemaitre_eu | @MHI_GoI | @EU_Commission | @HorizonEU | India-EU Trade and Technology Council | Mr. Vivek Dham | Dr Hafsa Ahmad