AUG 14: The Fifth Regional Consultative Meeting on “Ease of Doing Research & Development (R&D)” was convened by NITI Aayog at Science City, Ahmedabad on 12–13 August 2025. Hosted by GUJCOST, the two-day event brought together over 110 participants, including heads of academic and research institutions, senior policymakers, and industry experts, to discuss strategies for strengthening India’s research and innovation ecosystem.
The consultations aimed to identify actionable measures to reduce procedural hurdles, improve access to knowledge resources, enhance institutional competitiveness, encourage translational research, and create a more enabling environment for R&D.
In the opening session, Dr. Narottam Sahoo, Advisor and Member Secretary, GUJCOST, welcomed participants, while Prof. Vivek Kumar Singh, Senior Adviser, NITI Aayog, stressed the importance of structural reforms, agile regulations, and robust institutional frameworks. Ms. P. Bharathi, IAS, Secretary, DST Gujarat, reiterated the state’s commitment to building a strong research base aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat.
Dr. Nilesh Desai, Director of SAC–ISRO, announced a 12-day space science outreach initiative for ‘National Space Day’ and called for streamlined R&D processes. Delivering the keynote, Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, former DG, CSIR, assessed current challenges, identified gaps, and recommended targeted interventions.
On the second day, Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog, delivered the closing address, urging institutional benchmarking, simplification of compliance procedures, and stronger industry–academia linkages. He emphasised that reducing friction throughout the research lifecycle is essential to advancing scientific goals and achieving self-reliance in critical technologies.
Discussions also focused on strengthening funding mechanisms, enhancing infrastructure, and improving regulatory responsiveness. Participants underlined the need for coordinated efforts to drive high-impact, globally competitive research.
Insights from the meeting will inform a national strategy to improve the ease of doing R&D, positioning India as a leading hub for innovation and international collaboration.
” was convened by NITI Aayog at Science City){kind=link}