Date: 2025-09-12Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
Sixth Regional Consultative Meeting on “Ease of Doing Research & Development (R&D)” held at CSIR – Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR – IICT), Hyderabad
**Summary:**
On September 10-11, 2025, NITI Aayog convened the Sixth Regional Consultative Meeting on Ease of Doing Research & Development (R&D) at the CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT) in Hyderabad. The meeting brought together institutional leaders, Vice Chancellors, and representatives from scientific ministries to discuss strengthening India's R&D ecosystem. Keynote speakers, including Prof. Ashutosh Sharma (President, Indian National Science Academy) and Dr. N. Kalaiselvi (Director General, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research), emphasized the need for stronger institutional frameworks, streamlined regulations, and effective industry linkages to translate laboratory innovations into societal and market applications. Shri Jishnu Dev Varma, Governor of Telangana, highlighted the importance of a resilient R&D architecture for achieving Atmanirbhar Bharat, focusing on translating knowledge into technologies and solutions that enhance national self-reliance and global competitiveness. Dr. Anil Kakodkar (Former Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission) and Dr. V.K. Saraswat (Member, NITI Aayog) advocated for renewed attention to translational pathways connecting research institutions with industry clusters, startups, and public-sector applications. Participants engaged in discussions on regulatory frameworks, funding mechanisms, access to knowledge resources, institutional processes, and translational research models. The meeting concluded with a consensus that India's scientific future depends on both the ease of conducting research and the ease of translating research into tangible outcomes, embedding translation as a core principle in policy design, funding priorities, and institutional frameworks.
Key Entities Referenced
NITI Aayog: A policy think tank of the Government of India.
Ease of Doing Research Development RD: The subject of the Sixth Regional Consultative Meeting, focusing on improving research and development processes.
CSIR Indian Institute of Chemical Technology CSIR IICT, Hyderabad: The location where the Sixth Regional Consultative Meeting was held, located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
Indian National Science Academy INSA: A scientific academy in India.
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research CSIR: A research and development organisation in India.
Telangana: A state in India, where the meeting was held.
Atmanirbhar Bharat: A vision for a self-reliant India.
Atomic Energy Commission: An governmental organization responsible for nuclear technology
NITI Aayog
Sixth Regional Consultative Meeting on “Ease of
Doing Research & Development (R&D)” held at
CSIR – Indian Institute of Chemical Technology
(CSIR – IICT), Hyderabad
Posted On: 12 SEP 2025 1:07PM by PIB Delhi
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The Sixth Consultative Meeting on “Ease of Doing Research & Development (R&D)” was held on 10 – 11
September 2025. The consultation brought together a distinguished gathering of Institutional leaders, Vice
Chancellors, and scientific ministry/ departments for in-depth discussions on strengthening India’s research
and development ecosystem.
Prof. Ashutosh Sharma, President, Indian National Science Academy (INSA), and Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Director
General, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), in their keynote interventions, echoed the need
for reimagining India’s research landscape where Ease of doing R&D is a priority. They observed that though
India possesses deep scientific capabilities, however stronger institutional frameworks, streamlined
regulations, and effective industry linkages are needed to ensure that laboratory innovations quickly reach
society, industry, and markets.
The meeting was graced by Shri Jishnu Dev Varma, Hon’ble Governor of Telangana, who emphasised that
building a resilient R&D architecture is fundamental to the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. He underlined that
India must focus not only on generating new knowledge but also on translating it into technologies, processes,
and solutions that strengthen national self-reliance and global competitiveness. The Governor commended the
initiative of NITI Aayog for bringing diverse stakeholders together on a platform that aligns science with
societal progress.
Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Former Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, and Dr. V. K. Saraswat, Hon’ble
Member, NITI Aayog, offered their perspectives on the future of Indian science & research. They called for
renewed attention to translational pathways that connect research institutions with industry clusters, startups,
and public-sector applications, ensuring that the value chain from knowledge creation to deployment is
seamless and efficient.
Across technical sessions, participants such as Vice Chancellors and Directors of universities, national
laboratories & institutes engaged in substantive deliberations on regulatory frameworks, funding mechanisms,
access to advanced knowledge resources, institutional processes, and models for applied and translational
research. Contributions came from leading.
The meeting concluded with a resounding message that India’s scientific future will be defined not only by
the ease of doing research but, more critically, by the ease of translating research into tangible outcomes.
Embedding translation as a core principle in policy design, funding priorities, and institutional frameworks
will ensure that India’s research enterprise moves beyond knowledge creation to deliver innovations that
strengthen industry, advance national self-reliance, and improve the quality of life for its citizens.
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MJPS/SR(Release ID: 2165917)