




Vivek Singh
490 posts

@ProfVKSingh
Senior Adviser in S&T @ NITI Aayog. Earlier Professor & Head, Computer Science, and Dean, Fac. of Math. Sci. @ University of Delhi, India.






NITI Aayog convened the Fifth Regional Consultative Meeting on “Ease of Doing Research & Development (R&D)” at Science City, Ahmedabad, on 12–13 August 2025, hosted by GUJCOST. The two-day event brought together 110+ participants from academia, research, policy, and industry to discuss reducing procedural barriers, boosting access to knowledge resources, and fostering translational research. Dr. V. K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog, delivered the Closing address on the 2nd day, underscoring the urgency of transforming India’s research institutions into globally competitive entities. He called for institutional benchmarking, simplification of compliance procedures, and stronger academia-industry linkages to enable a high-impact research culture. He emphasised that reducing friction across the research lifecycle is central to advancing national scientific goals and achieving self-reliance in critical technology areas. The deliberations concluded with a commitment to build a globally competitive, innovation-driven R&D ecosystem, with recommendations feeding into a national strategy for research, innovation, and global partnerships. #PMOIndia #NITIAayog #EaseOfDoingResearch #InnovationIndia #ScienceAndTechnology #ResearchAndInnovation #GlobalCollaboration #ViksitBharat #Ahmedabad #GUJCOST #ISRO #CSIR















NITI Aayog hosted the Fourth Regional Consultative Meeting on "Ease of Doing Research & Development (R&D)" on 06 August 2025, convening eminent voices from academia, research institutions, government bodies and global partners to deliberate on strategies for strengthening India’s research and innovation ecosystem. Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog, delivered the Chairperson’s address, underscoring the urgency of transforming India’s research institutions into globally competitive entities through simplified compliance, institutional benchmarking and strong academia-industry linkages. Other key speakers included Dr. M. Srinivas, Director, AIIMS New Delhi; Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, CEO, ANRF; and Dr. Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, DBT. Deliberations focused on reducing procedural barriers, enabling agile regulatory systems and building collaborative ecosystems for innovation. International partners also shared global best practices to enhance R&D outcomes. This dialogue marks another step in NITI Aayog’s efforts to build a forward-looking, innovation-led and globally aligned research ecosystem in India. #PMOIndia #NITIAayog #EaseOfDoingResearch #InnovationIndia #Research #AcademicInnovation #GlobalCollaboration



To advance systemic reforms in India’s research landscape, NITI Aayog convened the Third Regional Consultative Meeting on “Ease of Doing Research & Development (R&D)” from 14 to 15 July 2025 at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu. This meeting forms a crucial part of a national initiative aimed at building a more enabling, responsive, and innovation-oriented R&D ecosystem across the country. The event was inaugurated by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Science and Technology, who emphasised the growing strategic importance of Jammu & Kashmir as a science and technology hub. He underscored the need to empower young researchers, reduce bureaucratic delays, and build strong academia-industry linkages to drive high-impact research. Dr. V. K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog, highlighted the urgent need for modernising research governance frameworks, granting greater institutional autonomy, and adopting performance-linked funding models. He reiterated NITI Aayog’s commitment to integrating regional perspectives into a national reform agenda for R&D. The discussions were significantly enhanced by the insights of distinguished participants, who collectively emphasised the need for simplified regulatory frameworks, improved coordination across scientific departments, and enhanced support for early-career researchers. The insights derived from this consultative meeting, along with the outcomes from earlier sessions conducted in Lucknow and Dehradun, will play a pivotal role in shaping NITI Aayog's comprehensive strategy aimed at enhancing the ease of conducting research and development (R&D) in India. This initiative underscores the Government of India's dedication to establishing the nation as a leading global hub for research, innovation, and scientific excellence. #PMOIndia #NITIAayog #IITJammu #InnovationIndia #ResearchAndDevelopment #JammuAndKashmir #SciencePolicy

Empowering States Through Science: NITI Aayog Launches Roadmap to Strengthen State S&T Councils Shri Suman Bery, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, launched a report titled “A Roadmap for Strengthening State S&T Councils” in the presence of Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Science and Technology, and Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog on 10th July 2025. The event witnessed participation from senior officials from various scientific departments and ministries, and different division heads from NITI Aayog. Dr. Jitendra Singh delivered the keynote address emphasising the need to transform State S&T Councils into mission-oriented bodies aligned with local development priorities. He advocated for greater industry engagement, co-financing of innovation, and strategic collaboration among states through sectoral clusters. Shri Suman Bery addressed the importance of embedding science and technology within the framework of federal governance, stating that empowered State S&T Councils can become "catalytic enablers of innovation" when equipped with the right tools and autonomy. Dr. V.K. Saraswat emphasised the need for strong techno-administrative leadership, robust STI data systems, and the integration of research institutions, industries, and grassroots innovators to build vibrant, state-level innovation ecosystems. This report will play a pivotal role in empowering State S&T Councils as engines of region-specific innovation, positioning them as key contributors to India's journey toward a science-led, inclusive, and globally competitive economy. 📘 Read the full report: 🔗 niti.gov.in/sites/default/… #PMOIndia #NITIAayog #ScienceForDevelopment #STICouncils #ViksitBharat #InnovationIndia #TechForGrowth #ScientificGovernance #FederalInnovation #DigitalIndia #RuralInnovation























