**Executive Summary**
On May 6, 2026, the CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Research and Information System for the Developing Countries (RIS) to strengthen collaboration in science, technology, innovation policy, and diplomacy. The partnership focuses on joint research, capacity building, and knowledge sharing to address global challenges such as climate change and health inequalities. Key outputs included the release of three policy documents and a commitment to integrating science diplomacy perspectives into a joint report for the Global South.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Partnership Objectives and Scope**
* Strengthen collaboration in STI (Science, Technology, and Innovation) policy and science diplomacy through joint research and policy analysis.
* Promote inclusive and sustainable development via policy dialogues, workshops, and outreach programs.
* Foster knowledge sharing in areas of science communication, traditional knowledge, and capacity building.
**Strategic Focus on the Global South**
* Utilize science diplomacy as a tool to build trust and address technology inequalities and global health challenges.
* Emphasize South-South cooperation based on equality, sovereignty, and demand-driven, context-specific solutions.
* Prepare for future engagements, such as the India-Africa Forum Summit, through technology sharing and joint reporting.
**Scientific and Technological Contributions**
* Leverage CSIR’s R&D ecosystem to promote affordable innovations, such as HIV drug developments and rural livelihood technologies.
* Validate and disseminate traditional knowledge and medicine through initiatives like SVASTIK and the Forum for Indian Traditional Medicine (FITM).
* Utilize 15 open-access journals and various training platforms (ITEC, iGOT Karmayogi) for global capacity building.
**Document Releases**
* **International Cooperation:** "India-Republic of Korea S&T Cooperation: Co-Creating the Future."
* **Industrial Policy:** "Proceeding of Workshop on Strengthening India's Semiconductor Ecosystem: Policies, Challenges and Opportunities."
* **Environmental Policy:** "The key drivers of particulate pollution from road transportation in Indian states."
**Impact Analysis**
**CSIR-NIScPR**
**Impact**
The institute expands its reach in science communication and policy research by combining its scientific strengths with RIS’s policy expertise.
**Action Required**
Coordinate with RIS on joint working groups, manage the dissemination of technologies for rural livelihoods, and contribute to upcoming joint reports.
**Research and Information System for the Developing Countries (RIS)**
**Impact**
RIS strengthens its role in shaping scientific governance for the Global South through expanded global partnerships and training initiatives.
**Action Required**
Execute capacity-building programs through ITEC and iGOT Karmayogi, and manage fellowship programs like DAKSHIN and IBSA.
**Global South Partners (including Africa and Republic of Korea)**
**Impact**
These stakeholders benefit from shared technology, context-specific scientific solutions, and strengthened bilateral/multilateral S&T cooperation.
**Action Required**
Participate in upcoming policy dialogues and utilize the newly released research documents to inform national semiconductor and environmental policies.
Key Entities Referenced
CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR): A primary signatory of the MoU, responsible for collaborating on science policy research, communication, and traditional knowledge dissemination.
Research and Information System for the Developing Countries (RIS): An autonomous policy research institute that signed the MoU to provide policy expertise and strengthen science diplomacy and global partnerships.
DAKSHIN: An initiative focused on global partnerships and strengthening scientific cooperation across the Global South.
Forum for Indian Science Diplomacy: A key platform involved in global partnerships and the publication of research to address global challenges through scientific governance.
SVASTIK: An initiative highlighted for its role in communicating traditional knowledge and scientific validation as part of the collaborative framework.
Ministry of Science & Technology
NIScPR signed an MoU with RIS to strengthen
Science Technology Innovation Policy and
Diplomacy
Posted On: 07 MAY 2026 12:52PM by PIB Delhi
CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR) signed a MoU with
Research and Information System for the Developing Countries (RIS) on 6 May 2026 to strengthen
collaboration in science, technology, innovation policy and diplomacy through joint research, policy
analysis, capacity building and knowledge sharing. The partnership will promote work in science policy,
communication, diplomacy and traditional knowledge, along with joint projects, publications, policy
dialogues, workshops and outreach for inclusive and sustainable development.
Prof. Sachin Kumar Sharma, Director General, RIS, in his welcome remarks, highlighted science
diplomacy as a key tool for building trust and addressing global challenges such as climate change, health
and technology inequalities, while emphasizing the Global South’s role in shaping scientific governance.
He outlined RIS initiatives including ITEC courses, iGOT Karmayogi training, Forum for Indian Science
Diplomacy publications and global partnerships through DAKSHIN and IBSA Fellowships.
Dr. Geeta Vani Rayasam, Director, CSIR-NIScPR, described the partnership as a collaborative, win-win
effort for the Global South, focusing on working groups and joint publications. She highlighted NIScPR’s
role in science communication and policy research, along with CSIR’s R&D ecosystem, affordable HIV
drug innovations, traditional knowledge validation, rural innovations and 15 open-access journals.
Dr. S.K. Varshney, Science Consultant, RIS, emphasized the importance of South-South scientific
cooperation based on equality, sovereignty and demand-driven partnerships for context-specific solutions,
technology sharing and resilient health systems. Dr. Amit Kumar, Assistant Professor, RIS, termed the
collaboration a key milestone combining RIS’s policy expertise with CSIR’s scientific strengths, further
reinforced by the roundtable on science diplomacy.
Dr. Rajan Sudhesh Ratna highlighted science diplomacy as a driver of development in the Global South
and RIS’s role through DAKSHIN in strengthening cooperation. Dr. Yogesh Suman, Chief Scientist,
CSIR-NIScPR, emphasized NIScPR’s role in disseminating CSIR technologies for rural livelihoods and
sustainable development. Dr. Sarin N. S., Coordinator, Forum for Indian Traditional Medicine (FITM),
highlighted traditional knowledge and medicine as pillars of South-South cooperation, while Dr. Monika
Jaggi and Dr. Charu Lata highlighted NIScPR’s contributions to science diplomacy and traditional
knowledge through initiatives like SVASTIK.
On the occasion, all the dignitaries released three valuable documents “India-Republic of Korea S&T
Cooperation: Co-Creating the Future” (Sanjeev K. Varshney, Amit Kumar and Sneha Sinha); “Proceeding
of Workshop on Strengthening India's Semiconductor Ecosystem: Policies, Challenges and Opportunities”
(Dr. Shiv Narayan Nishad, Dr. Vipan Kumar, Dr. Naresh Kumar, Dr. Sandhiya Lakshmanan) and policy
bulletin: “The key drivers of particulate pollution from road transportation in Indian states” (Dr. Sandhya
Lakshmanan).Dr. Sneha Sinha, Consultant, RIS, noted that previous collaborations, including workshops and research in
science diplomacy, have laid a strong foundation for future engagement. She highlighted the significance
of the roundtable on science diplomacy in the Global South, focusing on India-Africa cooperation ahead
of the India-Africa Forum Summit, and emphasized technology sharing and integrating science diplomacy
perspectives into a joint report.
*****NKR/AK
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