Dr Jitendra Singh meets UK AI Minister Kanishka Narayan on sidelines of India AI Summit

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh, held a bilateral meeting with the UK Minister for AI and Online Safety, Mr. Kanishka Narayan, on the sidelines of the ongoing AI Summit at Bharat Mandapam.

The discussions focused on strengthening India–UK collaboration in Artificial Intelligence, critical and emerging technologies, and research-driven innovation, under the framework of the long-standing bilateral Science & Technology partnership.

Institutional Mechanism Anchored in Science and Innovation Council

India and the United Kingdom are working through an established institutional mechanism led by the Science and Innovation Council (SIC), the apex body overseeing bilateral scientific cooperation.

The next SIC meeting is scheduled to be held in India in April 2026, and both sides reaffirmed their commitment to translating policy dialogue into tangible outcomes ahead of this engagement.

Progress Reviewed Under 2023 Research and Innovation MoU

Both ministers reviewed progress under the India–UK Research and Innovation Memorandum of Understanding, signed in April 2023.

The MoU promotes long-term collaboration among:

• Government agencies

• Higher education institutions

• Research organisations

• Startups

• Industry partners

Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted India's rapid rise in global innovation standing, noting that India has moved from 81st position in 2015 to 38th in 2025 in the Global Innovation Index.

He said India's scale, strong digital public infrastructure, expanding startup ecosystem and growing research capacity make it a preferred global partner for technology collaborations.

Joint Initiatives Across Key Technology Domains

The meeting covered ongoing and emerging cooperation in a wide range of strategic sectors, including:

• Telecom research and next-generation communications

• Clean energy and Net Zero technologies

• Biotechnology and agriculture innovation

• Ocean and climate science

• Advanced materials and manufacturing

• Quantum technologies

Under the DST–UKRI telecom collaboration, joint research projects have already been initiated in next-generation communication systems.

Net Zero Innovation Partnership Advancing Green Growth

Both sides noted progress under the India–UK Net Zero Innovation Partnership, which is supporting scalable clean technology solutions in areas such as:

• Electric mobility

• Hydrogen technologies

• Industrial decarbonisation

• Carbon capture and storage

These efforts align closely with India's national priorities of sustainable development and green growth.

Research and Innovation Corridor for Startups and Entrepreneurship

The ministers also discussed progress toward establishing a Research and Innovation Corridor, designed to strengthen partnerships among:

• Startups

• Incubators

• Innovation hubs

• Industry ecosystems

The initiative is expected to deepen technology exchange and foster collaborative entrepreneurship between the two countries.

India Showcases National Technology Missions

India highlighted several flagship missions that offer expanded avenues for global cooperation, including:

• National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems

• Quantum Technology Mission

• Geospatial Mission

• Electric Mobility initiatives

• Deep Ocean Mission

• Biomanufacturing programmes

These national efforts provide new platforms for deeper India–UK engagement in frontier technologies.

High-Level Delegations Participate

The Indian delegation included:

• Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, DST

• Senior representatives from Ministry of Earth Sciences, DBT and MEA

• Dr. Praveenkumar Somasundaram, Advisor & Head, International Cooperation, DST

• Dr. Sulakshana Jain, Scientist F, DST

The UK delegation was led by Minister Kanishka Narayan, accompanied by:

• Ms. Sophia Nestius-Booth, Regional Director, S&T Network, British High Commission

• Mr. Jack Landers, Head of Science & Innovation

• Mr. Jack Collins, Minister's Private Secretary

Shared Commitment to Frontier Technology Cooperation

The bilateral engagement during the AI Summit reflects the shared resolve of India and the UK to deepen cooperation in AI and emerging technologies, and to ensure that scientific partnerships translate into real-world innovation outcomes.

The meeting sets the stage for strengthened collaboration ahead of the forthcoming Science and Innovation Council meeting in April 2026.