New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) Dr VK Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog, has underscored the urgency of transforming India’s research institutions into globally competitive entities, it was announced on Thursday.

He called for institutional benchmarking, simplification of compliance procedures, and stronger academia-industry linkages to enable a high-impact research culture, emphasising that reducing friction across the research lifecycle is central to advancing national scientific goals and achieving self-reliance in critical technology areas.

NITI Aayog held the fifth consultative meeting on ;Ease of Doing Research & Development (R&D)’ hosted by GUJCOST at Science City in Ahmedabad.

The meeting aimed to build consensus on reducing procedural barriers, increasing access to knowledge resources, enhancing institutional competitiveness, increased emphasis on translational research, and fostering a more enabling environment for R&D in the country.

Professor Vivek Kumar Singh, Senior Adviser, NITI Aayog, highlighted the need for structural reforms, agile regulations, and stronger institutional frameworks to enhance R&D in India.

P. Bharathi, Secretary, DST, Gujarat, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to building a robust research ecosystem aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision of Viksit Bharat.

Dr Nilesh Desai, Director, SAC–ISRO, announced a 12-day space science outreach programme for ‘National Space Day’ and stressed the need for a streamlined R&D environment.

In his keynote address, Dr. R.A. Mashelkar, former DG, CSIR, assessed the R&D landscape, identified key gaps, and suggested actionable strategies for progress.

The two-day consultative meet focused on comprehensive deliberations around key themes such as strengthening the R&D ecosystem, enhancing funding and regulatory frameworks, and improving access to knowledge resources.

Discussions focused on understanding existing institutional structures and processes, identifying gaps, and exploring strategies to address them, with a strong emphasis on administrative agility and regulatory responsiveness. Participants underscored the critical need to reinforce foundational enablers, including streamlined funding mechanisms, robust research infrastructure, and simplified regulatory procedures.

The dialogue highlighted the importance of coordinated efforts and translational research in unlocking India’s full research and innovation potential, according to a NITI Aayog statement.

—IANS

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