Secretary Department of Science and Technology (DST) Dr. Srivari Chandrasekhar highlighted that materials for sustainable energy, scientific challenges & opportunities to achieving a sustainable blue economy, biodiversity, and economy would be the major themes and topics of the Research Innovation Initiative Gathering (RIIG) during India's presidency starting from 1st December 2022.

He informed that discussions would be centered on developing the science for innovation and sustainable growth, connecting science and society, science for culture & heritage, traditional knowledge, and medicine.

“India is committed to implementing G-20 Research Innovation Initiative Gathering (RRIG) deliverables and seek support on the G-20 research and innovation agenda for India's G-20 presidency next year,” said Dr. Chandrasekhar while representing the Minister for Science and Technology at the G-20 Research Ministers meeting at Jakarta.

He elaborated on India’s evolution into a country with major global contributions in research and innovations and highlighted the country’s participation in international scientific collaborations.

“India is partnering in all the global forums, including the construction and establishment of mega-science facilities in India and abroad. We also partner with multilateral forums like UN, ASEAN, BRICS, BIMSTEC, SCO, G-20, etc. Science has to be global, and solutions to challenges should be regional,” he said.

“We aim to adopt a new approach that makes research infrastructure available for all stakeholders and finalising guidelines for Scientific Research Infrastructure Sharing Maintenance and Networks (SRIMAN). Besides, following global trends on a unified nationwide subscription-based model for knowledge, we are creating a central repository for all S&T data,” DST Secretary pointed out.

He spoke about India’s efforts in enhancing domestic manufacturing capacity underlining how the country’s generic industry and vaccine manufacturing capability had supported global safety during the pandemic.

“We also promote a plurality of solutions for a variety of social, economic strata as well as geographical regions and focus on rural as well as urban problems in the country. Impact-based research evaluation is undertaken in a framework of research excellence keeping in mind local needs. Mainstreaming science communication has been taken up as a major challenge with the aim of increasing people’s participation in science,” he said.

“India has recently launched policies like Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to disseminate scientific knowledge and also promote science and technology across the ecosystems. We also launched many programmes for gender equality in the country. Many national missions have been launched partnering with international players to work on cyber-physical systems health, education, energy, environment, agriculture, Industry 4.0, etc.,” DST Secretary pointed out, expressing confidence that collaborations will bring opportunities for G-20 partners and promote innovation as single point agenda for all in the group.

The Research Ministers meeting has been planned to be held in 1st week of July 2023.