India and South Africa to scale up bilateral cooperation in AI, digital infrastructure and advance manufacturing
New Delhi, June 3
India and South Africa are strengthening ties in future technologies as a major focus. Both countries on Wednesday agreed to scale up bilateral cooperation in artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and advanced manufacturing as key priorities for the next phase of engagement, as stated by the Ministry of Science & Technology press release.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh held bilateral talks with Dr Nomalungelo Gina, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of South Africa. Singh called for taking the India-Africa relationship towards innovation-driven partnerships for economic and societal impact at scale.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that the next phase of India-South Africa engagement must be shaped by emerging technologies, innovation ecosystems, startup partnerships and industry-linked research. He said the two countries possess complementary strengths that can be leveraged to create affordable, scalable and inclusive technological solutions for the developing world, the Ministry said in a release.
The Minister noted that "both countries are increasingly contributing to shaping international conversations on science, technology and innovation through platforms such as BRICS, IBSA, G20 and IORA, while also advancing bilateral cooperation across multiple strategic sectors."
Singh further remarked, "India has emerged as one of the world's fastest-growing innovation ecosystems, supported by major national initiatives in artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, cyber-physical systems, digital public infrastructure and startup-led innovation."
He said these advancements present new opportunities for collaborative research, technology development and innovation partnerships with South Africa, the release noted.
As per the Ministry, a major outcome of the discussions was the decision to intensify collaboration in advanced materials and manufacturing, geospatial technologies and digital infrastructure, priority areas identified under the India-South Africa Joint Committee mechanism. Both countries have agreed to accelerate interactions among scientists, institutions and technical experts to transform these focus areas into concrete collaborative programmes and outcomes.
The discussions also highlighted substantial opportunities in biotechnology, genomics, vaccine development, health technologies and pandemic preparedness.
Furthermore, "South Africa expressed strong interest in expanding cooperation with India in renewable energy, hydrogen technologies, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, health sciences, vaccine research and skills development."
Additionally, Dr. Jitendra Singh invited South Africa's active participation in the BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation Ministerial Meeting scheduled to be held in Chennai in August 2026. Likewise, South Africa invited India to participate in the Science Forum South Africa 2026.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see India leveraging its strengths in digital public infrastructure like UPI and Aadhaar. South Africa could learn a lot from India's experience in building low-cost, scalable digital solutions. Hope this goes beyond just talk and results in actual technology transfers and joint projects. 🇮🇳🤝🇿🇦
While this sounds promising, I hope the government also focuses on domestic R&D funding. India's private sector R&D spend is still low compared to China and the US. Partnerships are great, but we need to build our own deep tech capabilities first. South Africa has some world-class research in astronomy and mining tech—we should tap into that.
The mention of vaccine development and pandemic preparedness is crucial. After COVID, we saw how important it is for developing nations to have self-reliance in health tech. India-South Africa collaboration on vaccine manufacturing using our Serum Institute and their Biovac could be a game-changer for Africa.
Kudos to Dr Jitendra Singh for pushing this forward! The BRICS and IBSA platforms are really showing their value now. India's startup ecosystem is already partnering globally—this will give our AI and deep tech startups access to South African markets. Win-win for both sides!
Renewable energy and hydrogen technologies collaboration is very strategic. India has ambitious green hydrogen targets, and South Africa has abundant solar and wind resources. Together they could become global leaders in affordable green energy solutions. Hope the joint committee delivers quick results on this. 🌱
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