NITI Aayog Hosts National Workshop on Innovation at GIFT City

25 Mar 2025 CW Team

Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member (Science & Technology), NITI Aayog, and Smt. Mona Khandhar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Gujarat, led the discussions, reinforcing the government’s commitment to innovation and technological advancement. Dr. Saraswat emphasised the need for stronger collaboration between the government, academia, and industry, focusing on translational research, DeepTech startups, and shifting India's industry from a service-based to a product-driven model.

Smt. Mona Khandhar highlighted Gujarat’s progressive innovation policies, including the Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy, Semiconductor Policy, Electronics Policy, and the Global Capability Center (GCC) Policy, aimed at bolstering the state’s startup ecosystem.

Dr. Sacha Wunsch-Vincent from WIPO outlined India's growing intellectual property (IP) landscape, emphasising the rise in patent filings and the country's potential to develop new S&T clusters in the coming decade.

The workshop featured several expert-led panel discussions, including:

"Bharat Innovates: National Innovation Ecosystem" – Moderated by Dr. R. Ramanan, Former MD, Atal Innovation Mission.
"Navachar Niti aur Rajya Yojnaayein" – A session on state-level innovation policies, chaired by Dr. Rashmi Sharma, Head, NCSTC, DST, Government of India.
"Navachar Ke Sarathi: Pioneering Innovations" – A session showcasing grassroots innovators and startups, moderated by Dr. Arvind Ranade, Director, National Innovation Foundation (NIF).
"Vishwa Mein Ubharta Bharat: Strengthening India’s Global Innovation Footprint" – Featuring contributions from Dr. Sacha Wunsch-Vincent (WIPO) and Dr. Rajul Gajjar (Vice Chancellor, Gujarat Technological University).

The conference concluded with a strategic discussion on India's innovation roadmap, led by Dr. V.K. Saraswat alongside senior officials from NITI Aayog, the Gujarat State Government, and the Former DG of CSIR. The closing remarks underscored Gujarat’s pivotal role in shaping India’s innovation-driven future through strong policies, R&D investment, and a robust startup ecosystem.

(PIB)

In a major push to strengthen India's innovation ecosystem, NITI Aayog, in collaboration with the Gujarat Council on Science & Technology (GUJCOST), organised a National Workshop on “Building Synergies in Indian Innovation Ecosystem” at GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, on March 22, 2025. The event brought together key stakeholders, including government officials, academic leaders, industry experts, startup founders, and international representatives, to foster dialogue on R&D investments, state innovation policies, global trends, and grassroots entrepreneurship. Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member (Science & Technology), NITI Aayog, and Smt. Mona Khandhar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, Gujarat, led the discussions, reinforcing the government’s commitment to innovation and technological advancement. Dr. Saraswat emphasised the need for stronger collaboration between the government, academia, and industry, focusing on translational research, DeepTech startups, and shifting India's industry from a service-based to a product-driven model. Smt. Mona Khandhar highlighted Gujarat’s progressive innovation policies, including the Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy, Semiconductor Policy, Electronics Policy, and the Global Capability Center (GCC) Policy, aimed at bolstering the state’s startup ecosystem. Dr. Sacha Wunsch-Vincent from WIPO outlined India's growing intellectual property (IP) landscape, emphasising the rise in patent filings and the country's potential to develop new S&T clusters in the coming decade. The workshop featured several expert-led panel discussions, including: Bharat Innovates: National Innovation Ecosystem – Moderated by Dr. R. Ramanan, Former MD, Atal Innovation Mission. Navachar Niti aur Rajya Yojnaayein – A session on state-level innovation policies, chaired by Dr. Rashmi Sharma, Head, NCSTC, DST, Government of India. Navachar Ke Sarathi: Pioneering Innovations – A session showcasing grassroots innovators and startups, moderated by Dr. Arvind Ranade, Director, National Innovation Foundation (NIF). Vishwa Mein Ubharta Bharat: Strengthening India’s Global Innovation Footprint – Featuring contributions from Dr. Sacha Wunsch-Vincent (WIPO) and Dr. Rajul Gajjar (Vice Chancellor, Gujarat Technological University). The conference concluded with a strategic discussion on India's innovation roadmap, led by Dr. V.K. Saraswat alongside senior officials from NITI Aayog, the Gujarat State Government, and the Former DG of CSIR. The closing remarks underscored Gujarat’s pivotal role in shaping India’s innovation-driven future through strong policies, R&D investment, and a robust startup ecosystem. (PIB)

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