NITI Aayog Hosts National Workshop on Innovation at GIFT City
ECONOMY & POLICY

NITI Aayog Hosts National Workshop on Innovation at GIFT City

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)  

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)  

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Tata, Airbus to Build India’s First Private Helicopter Line

In a landmark development for India’s aerospace sector, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Airbus will establish the country’s first private-sector helicopter assembly line in Vemagal, Karnataka. The facility will manufacture the Airbus H125 and H125M, marking a significant milestone in India’s push for self-reliance in aviation and defence manufacturing. The new Final Assembly Line (FAL) will produce the H125, the world’s best-selling single-engine helicopter, known for its versatility and performance in extreme environments. The first ‘Made in India’ H125 is expected to ro..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

NeGD to Support Bharat Taxi in Building Cooperative Ride Platform

In a significant move for India’s digital and mobility transformation, the National e-Governance Division (NeGD) of the Digital India Corporation, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has entered into an advisory partnership with Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited, the company behind Bharat Taxi — a first-of-its-kind, cooperative-led national ride-hailing platform. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between NeGD and Sahakar Taxi to provide strategic advisory and technical support covering key areas such as platform integration, cybersecurity..

Next Story
Technology

MeitY Hosts Pre-Summit for India–AI Impact Summit 2026

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, hosted a series of Pre-Summit events for the upcoming India–AI Impact Summit 2026 at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2025 in New Delhi. These sessions mark a key milestone ahead of the main summit, scheduled for 19–20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Delivering the inaugural address, S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, highlighted India’s innovative and frugal approach to AI development. “We have adopted innovative means by learning from others’ experiences to build projects and products that..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?