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States Key to India's Tech Self-Reliance, Says NITI Aayog VC

NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery emphasized that states must play a larger role in research and innovation for India to achieve technological self-reliance and its Viksit Bharat goals. He stated this at a national workshop focused on embedding R&D within state institutions, which brought together government, academic, and industry leaders. Officials highlighted the need to bridge the gap between research publications and usable socio-economic solutions through state-level action. The consensus was that states must evolve from implementers to co-creators in a distributed national innovation system.

Key Points: States' Role in India's Tech Innovation & Viksit Bharat Goals

  • Strengthen state-level innovation systems
  • Build robust R&D clusters across states
  • Convert knowledge into products & solutions
  • Shift from beneficiary to partnership models in public schemes
2 min read

States must play bigger role in India's tech self-reliance, Viksit Bharat goals: NITI Aayog Vice Chairman

NITI Aayog VC Suman Bery urges states to embed R&D in governance for India's technological self-reliance and Viksit Bharat vision.

"India's long-term growth and self-reliance would depend on how effectively states embed R&D as a core function of governance. - Suman Bery"

New Delhi, Jan 10

State institutions must take on a much bigger role in research, development and innovation if India is to achieve technological self-reliance and the goals of Viksit Bharat, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, Suman Bery, said on Saturday.

Delivering a special address at a national workshop on "Sustaining Innovation: Embedding R&D in State Institutions", Bery stressed the need to strengthen state-level innovation systems and build robust research and innovation clusters across states.

"India's long-term growth and self-reliance would depend on how effectively states embed R&D as a core function of governance," he said.

The two-day workshop, held on January 8 and 9, was hosted at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore, in association with the Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology.

The event brought together institutional leaders, planning secretaries from state departments, industry leaders and senior officials to discuss ways to strengthen India's state-level innovation ecosystem.

Welcoming participants, Maneesha Vinodini highlighted the importance of collaboration between academia, government and industry in shaping effective innovation policies at the state level.

Setting the context of the workshop, Vivek Kumar Singh said that while India has made significant progress in research publications and patents, there remains a gap in converting knowledge into usable products and socio-economic solutions.

He emphasised that active participation by states is critical to expanding and sustaining the country's science, technology and innovation ecosystem.

The workshop was also attended by V K Paul, who said states must evolve from being mere implementers of central schemes to becoming co-creators of a resilient and distributed national innovation system.

He noted that embedding R&D as a continuous governance function, rather than as isolated initiatives, will shape the next phase of India's innovation journey.

Lalnilawma underlined the importance of grassroots innovation, saying such ideas are deeply rooted in society but often fail to scale.

He called for a shift from beneficiary-driven approaches to partnership-based public schemes to help communities become active contributors to innovation.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Absolutely agree with the shift from 'beneficiary' to 'partner'. Our local artisans and small entrepreneurs have brilliant solutions but lack the platform and funding. State governments must create easier pathways for them to collaborate with engineering colleges and ITIs.
V
Vikram M
Good speech, but the real challenge is execution. Many state universities have poor lab facilities and professors are overburdened with admin work. Unless state budgets prioritize R&D funding and create attractive careers for researchers, this will remain another workshop conclusion.
R
Rohit P
True Viksit Bharat needs a bottom-up approach. Imagine if every district had a small innovation hub connected to local problems - water scarcity, crop diseases, waste management. That's real self-reliance, not just importing tech.
S
Sarah B
As someone working in the startup ecosystem, the gap between patents and products is very real. States need to act as bridges, providing testing grounds, regulatory sandboxes, and connecting innovators with public sector challenges. Collaboration is key.
K
Karthik V
Hope this leads to action. We have brilliant minds in every state, but they often migrate to Bengaluru, Hyderabad, or abroad because of better opportunities. If states build strong clusters, we can reverse this brain drain and develop all of India equally.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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