The Third Regional Consultation on Ease of Doing R&D Took Place at IIT Jammu in Collaboration with NITI Aayog

The Indian Institute of Technology Jammu, in partnership with NITI Aayog, inaugurated the Third Regional Consultative Meeting on Ease of Doing Research and Development (R&D) at its Jagti Campus. The two-day event that took place on 14th and 15th July 2025, was part of a broader national initiative to reform and reimagine Indias R&D ecosystem through regionally grounded, high-level stakeholder engagement.

Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurates the Third Regional Consultation on Ease of Doing R&D at IIT Jammu, reaffirming India’s commitment to research-driven growth

The Inaugural Session, was graced by the esteemed presence of Dr. Jitendra Singh, Hon’ble Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office.

The session also witnessed the presence of several distinguished dignitaries, including:

• Dr. V. K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog

• Prof. Manoj Singh Gaur, Director, IIT Jammu

• Prof. Vinod Kumar Singh, President, The National Academy of Sciences, India

• Prof. Vivek Kumar Singh, Senior Adviser, NITI Aayog

• Senior representatives from premier scientific ministries, departments, and funding bodies

In his address, Dr. Jitendra Singh underscored the government’s commitment to promoting scientific innovation and fostering an enabling environment for cutting-edge research, Dr. V. K. Saraswat, emphasized on the strategic importance of enabling policy reforms to ease systemic bottlenecks. Prof. Manoj Singh Gaur, praised the collaborative initiative and emphasized the critical need to streamline research ecosystems across institutions, Prof. Vivek Kumar Singh, Senior Adviser, NITI Aayog, elaborated on the objectives of the national-level initiative. He outlined the key dimensions being explored under the Ease of Doing R&D initiative, Prof. Vinod Kumar Singh highlighting the need to nurture research talent and align national R&D goals with global standards.

Discussions included strategies to accelerate R&D in academic institutions by enhancing infrastructure, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and improving access to funding. Deliberations also addressed the need to empower R&D personnel through reforms in recruitment, retention, and capacity-building mechanisms, enabling them to undertake cutting-edge research. Another key focus area was the translation of academic research-publications and patents-into marketable products, emphasizing the promotion of industry-academia linkages and incentivizing innovation. The sessions also explored critical policy reforms and systemic changes required to enhance the overall ease of doing R&D in India.

The consultative meeting was part of a multi-city initiative undertaken by NITI Aayog to gather actionable inputs from Heads of R&D Institutions, Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs), and Universities. Around 40 leaders from across Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab are participating in this third regional consultation.

This regional dialogue builds upon the foundations laid during the earlier consultations at Raj Bhawan, Lucknow (May 2025) and CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun (June 2025). The insights generated during the Jammu meeting will feed into a national-level reform blueprint being developed by NITI Aayog for the future of Indian R&D.

As India seeks to position itself as a global leader in knowledge production and scientific innovation, initiatives such as this regional consultation are critical steps toward designing a future-ready, collaborative, and frictionless R&D ecosystem for the country.