Policy Update
Devyani Choudhary
Background
The International Science and Technology (S&T) Cooperation Policy is an effort set forth by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) to build India’s research partnerships worldwide and to enhance innovation capabilities. The policy is implemented through the International Cooperation (IC) Division that works towards bilateral, multilateral, and thematic collaborations, and unites science with diplomacy to further improve the access to higher-end technologies. India currently has S&T cooperation agreements with 83 countries in the world, including major strategic partners like the United States, Germany, France, Japan, and Australia.
It is also an active member of international forums such as BRICS, ASEAN, and EU Frameworks, along with several UN bodies. Leading initiatives under this policy are the International Solar Alliance, Mission Innovation, and the LIGO Collaboration. The policy caters to a range of stakeholders, including researchers, academic institutions, startups, and students, towards mutual collaboration for outputs in areas like clean energy, healthcare, and advanced technologies. Taking concrete steps toward institutionalizing global partnerships, India has created three bi-national S&T centres: CEFIPRA (France), IUSSTF (USA), and IGSTC (Germany).
Functioning
The IC Division works closely with the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian Missions Abroad, the S&T Counsellors thereof, and the national-level research and academic institutions. It initiates joint-calls for proposals, supports the mobility of researchers, and oversees implementation through working groups and joint committees. Evaluations through DST annual reports, reviews by parliamentary committees, and studies by independent think tanks (like RIS and ORF) generally point to good results, especially in increasing co-publications and access to international scientific infrastructure. Several structural issues, however, remain unresolved.
These include less participation from Tier-2 institutions, unnecessary bureaucratic delays, inadequate participation from industry, and asymmetries in patent ownership where India often bears the cost while the partner ends up with the high-end IP. Also, in the absence of a well-developed monitoring and evaluation system, the long-term strategic impact cannot be carried out. For the full benefits of this policy to be actualised, greater inclusiveness, further streamlining of administrative procedures, and incorporation of impact-tracking frameworks need to be implemented.
Performance
India’s engagement in international scientific cooperation has expanded significantly through bilateral, multilateral, and thematic mechanisms.DST has actively supported joint R&D projects with countries including Australia, Germany, Austria, Canada, and the USA. The Indo-German collaboration alone has enabled over 25 joint industry-academia projects with a cumulative investment of ₹147 crore, while the Indo-Austria call in 2024–25 attracted 150 proposals. On the multilateral front, India’s active participation in platforms like BRICS, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, and The examples of such strategic funding and research outcomes include the support for 43 collaborative projects under the ASEAN-India R&D framework, while BRICS was undertaking advanced climate-related research and engaged in activities related to youth.
- India–EU: Renewed S&T agreement (2025–2030) under the Trade & Technology Council. Joint calls worth ₹391 crore launched on marine plastic litter and green hydrogen, co-funding coming from Horizon Europe.
- BRICS & ASEAN Collaborations: India spearheaded climate change research, hosted over 500 participants in ASEAN startup festivals, and funded 43 R&D projects throughout ASEAN in areas such as AI and marine sciences.
- VAIBHAV & ISRF Fellowships: Under VAIBHAV, 518+ proposals have been received, while 104 ISRF applications have come from neighboring countries in thematic areas such as agriculture, geology, and life sciences.
- India–Canada & Sri Lanka Engagements: Renewed S&T MoUs with Canada focusing on advanced tech and extended cooperation with Sri Lanka in emerging areas such as AI, aerospace, and robotics.
- Ayush–DST Collaboration: A landmark MoU signed in 2022 to promote evidence-based Ayush research through SERB with active industry and academic participation.
These initiatives exemplify DST’s proactive diplomacy for networking in science and technology at the global level, and knowledge exchange in the world of science, innovation, and technology, thereby serving to enhance India’s strategic presence.
Impact
The policy indeed had an impact on the global standing of India in science, the actual capacity to do research there, and strategic collaboration.The recent rise of India to 39th in the Global Innovation Index (2024), from the 46th position in 2021, and India coming 6th worldwide in patent filings, are instances of such. Such growth was made possible by collaborative research, fellowships, and academic exchanges across borders inspired by DST. Infrastructure facilities like LIGO-India, and the mega-science platforms such as CERN, TMT, and SKA, have put India on the map as an important contributor to global science.Representation in Horizon European and ASEAN-India helped in laid the foundation for thematic funding across marine science, climate research, and artificial intelligence.
Programmes such as VAIBHAV and ISRF helped in lambasting the movement of researchers with regional cooperation. Including 340-plus woman scientists in ASEAN forums and supporting 98 startups at international festivals speak of increasing diversity and innovation.
Emerging Issues
Several structural challenges have evolved.First, access to international collaborative projects remains skewed in favour of premier institutions. State universities and Tier-2 campuses are largely unrepresented. The DST shall reach out with capacity-building workshops for targeted audiences, while the UGC and AICTE can give incentives for wider participation.Second, schemes with a large number of procurements such as VAIBHAV and ASEAN calls face delays from the evaluation of applications to the disbursal of funds. Digitisation, as well as AI tools for screening, could be considered.Third, inputs from the private sector remain very limited, and to attract their attention, DST shall develop co-funding mechanisms and further work with FICCI and CII to bring startups and MSMEs into the international ecosystem for R&D.
Lastly, a mechanism does not exist for monitoring long-term outcomes of programmes such as patents, technology transfer, or commercialisation. Establishing a Science Diplomacy Impact Tracker (SDIT) and having periodic independent evaluations of programmes by third parties such as RIS and NITI Aayog are thus recommended.
Way Forward
With the placing of the International S&T Cooperation policy, India has been established as a credible innovation-go-between, which stands the chance of contributing significantly to its rise in all global indices and mega-science participation.To further its effectiveness, the policy must focus on inclusivity, administrative agility, and results-oriented planning.Aligning international collaborations with national missions such as Digital India, net-zero commitments, and Viksit Bharat @2047 will ensure science diplomacy evolves into a cornerstone of India’s global leadership and developmental agenda.
References
- Press Information Bureau (PIB). (2024, April 29). India’s S&T partnership with countries like Australia, Canada, EU, France, Germany, Russia, UK, USA and others reinforced through structured mechanisms: Dr. Jitendra Singh. Government of India. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2083208
- Department of Science & Technology (DST). (2024, April 25). Renewed MoUs articulate new strategic direction for Indo-Canada S&T cooperation. Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India. https://dst.gov.in/renewed-mous-articulate-new-strategic-direction-indo-canada-st-co-operation
- Press Information Bureau (PIB). (2025, July 5). India takes major step in space-tech cooperation with France through strategic dialogues and satellite programs. Government of India. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2128923
- Press Information Bureau (PIB). (2025, May 15). India joins hands with ASEAN for collaborative research projects in frontier technologies. Government of India. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2107078
- Press Information Bureau (PIB). (2024, May 8). India-BRICS cooperation strengthens with focus on youth, innovation, and sustainability. Government of India. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2085957
- Department of Science & Technology (DST). (n.d.). Annual reports. Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India. https://dst.gov.in/annual-reports
About the Author: Devyani Choudhary is a research intern at IMPRI and currently pursuing bsc Economics honors at Symbiosis School of Economics. Her academic and research interests include finance, public policy analysis, and tax law, with a focus on their socioeconomic impacts.
Acknowledgement: The author sincerely thanks Aasthaba Jadeja and IMPRI fellows for their valuable contribution.
Disclaimer: All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
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