Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India

The Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman announces that the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) will be operationalized for basic research and prototype development. A mechanism will be set up to spur private sector-driven research and innovation at a commercial scale, supported by a financing pool of Rs. 1 lakh crore. #UnionBudget2024 #BudgetForViksitBharat #Budget2024

PSA Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood had a meeting with UNESCO Director-General Ms. Audrey Azoulay in the sidelines of the 46th Session of World Heritage Committee meeting inaugurated in New Delhi today. Prof. Sood discussed the potential India- UNESCO partnership in hosting the 2024 edition of Chief Science Advisers Roundtable (CSAR). Furthermore, Prof. Sood and Ms. Azoulay exchanged thoughts on deepening India-UNESCO engagements in various common priorities, especially in the realm of institutionalising global science advice. Scientific Secretary Dr (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini highlighted the need for strengthening science-policy interface at the global level to address some of the pressing issues faced by the mankind. Amb. Vishal Sharma, Indian Ambassador to UNESCO, Mr. @Tim Curtis, Director of UNESCO New Delhi Cluster, Dr. Ahmed Zaouche, Adviser (Culture), UNESCO HQ, Dr. B. Chagun Basha, Chief Policy Adviser, OPSA and Mr. Norbu Negi, Deputy Head, Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO also joined the meeting. G20-Chief Science Advisers Roundtable (G20-CSAR) Ministry of External Affairs, India

Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, attended the 12th Convocation Ceremony of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram as the Chief Guest today. In his address, Prof. Sood congratulated the graduating students and emphasized India's global role in addressing issues like clean energy, water remediation, and sustainable growth. He urged the students to apply their knowledge for societal development. Prof. Sood called for deeper integration of education, science, technology, and innovation to foster greater benefits. He highlighted OPSA's engagement with various stakeholders, including academia, industry, startups, and government agencies, to strengthen India's science, technology and innovation (STI) ecosystem. He provided a brief account of contemporary policy measures and initiatives taken by the Office. While talking about the upcoming national Deep Tech Startup Policy (NDTSP), Prof. Sood reiterated the importance of building a strong knowledge economy and a product nation driven by science-led entrepreneurship. He also discussed the proposed role of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) in promoting research and innovation in academic institutions. Prof. Sood’s address also highlighted the role of “Manthan” platform in fostering research and innovation by facilitating collaboration between industry and academia. Prof. Sood concluded his address by expressing confidence in India's ability to tackle global challenges through a robust science and technology ecosystem supported by industry, academia, and government collaboration. He inspired the graduates to combine professional excellence with humanity to contribute to the nation's development.

H.E. Lindy C., British High Commissioner to India, along with her team, called on Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, and Dr (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India today. The bilateral conversation revolved around the UK-India Catapults Dialogue and Engagement. They also deliberated on ways to utilize the Office of PSA's Manthan platform to further strengthen the UK-India ties between the two countries’ researchers and innovators. Prof. Sood and H.E Ms. Cameron also discussed the progress of ongoing joint initiatives between India and the UK, including the Technology and Security Initiative (TSI), the UK-India Science and Technology Dashboard, and the UK-India Net Zero Innovation Centre, and explored the way forward. Prof. Sood informed the High Commissioner about the latest developments regarding the upcoming Anusandhan National Research Foundation. Both sides expressed keen interest in future joint initiatives in the context of ANRF. The meeting was also attended by Ms. Sarah Fallon, Regional Director (India, Middle East), Science, Innovation and Technology, and Mr. Jack Landers, Science Team Leader (Climate, People and Space) from the British High Commission, New Delhi. Dr. Preeti Banzal, Adviser; Dr. Rakesh Kaur, Adviser; Dr Sapna Poti, Director, Strategic Alliance Division; and Dr. Divya Vashisht, PhD, OSD also joined from the Office of PSA. B. Chagun Basha | Subarna S. | KAVITA T. | British High Commission in India | Manthan O/o PSA

Revised composition of National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) is notified today. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gfighKEZ Embracing a vision for holistic development and innovation, NITI Aayog is on a journey of transformative initiatives that promise to redefine India's future. #NITIAayog #TransformingIndia Narendra Modi Rao Inderjit Singh

The ‘e-mobility R&D Roadmap for India’ report was launched by Professor Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India today (July 16, 2024) at Vigyan Bhawan Annexe in New Delhi. The R&D roadmap has been prepared after detailed horizon scanning of the global automotive sector and identifying future cutting-edge technological requirements. It categorizes research projects into four important areas: Energy Storage Cells, EV Aggregates, Materials and Recycling, Charging and Refueling, and provides clear pathways to attain global leadership by being Atmanirbhar in the next five years. Dr (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Dr. Dr. Reji Mathai, Director General, Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), Pune, Dr.K.Bala Subramanian, Director, Non-Ferrous Materials Technology Development Centre (NFTDC), Hyderabad among others participated in the event. Government officials, members of the Consultative Group on e-Mobility (CGeM), representatives from industry and think tanks also attended the event. In his opening address, Prof. Sood highlighted that India aims to achieve a 45% reduction in emission intensity by 2030 and energy independence by 2047 to reach net-zero commitment by 2070. A significant part of this vision will require the wider adoption of electric vehicles, manufacturing of indigenous energy storage systems, and generation of renewable energy to feed charging infrastructures. Dr. Preeti Banzal, Adviser, Office of PSA and Prof. Karthick Athmanathan, PSA Fellow presented a brief overview of the Office’s significant efforts toward creating a strong R&D ecosystem in the automotive sector. Dr. Banzal informed that the Office, in August 2022, had constituted a 'Consultative Group on eMobility (CGeM)'. Prof. Athmanathan indicated that the research projects have been identified by the experts on both Technology deployment and Market leadership as the primary objective. Prof. Sood, in his concluding remarks, said the automobile sector in India is one of the largest contributors to the country's GDP and is expected to grow further in future. It is imperative to attain R&D and Innovation led growth trajectory for becoming self-reliant in Automative sector. The e-mobility R&D Roadmap report can be accessed here: https://bit.ly/3LnZWHB Read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/gi-G9MZR Dr. Sneha Malhotra | S. A. Sundaresan | Samraj Jabez Dhinagar | Shankar Ram Coimbatore Subramanian | Sagar Mitra | Ravikrishna R V | Dr. Kaushal Kumar Jha | Malobika Karanjai | Mulay Abhijit | Shubham Agarwal | Indian Institute of Technology, Madras | Ministry of Road Transport & Highways - India | Ministry Of Heavy Industries | NITI Aayog | Bureau of Energy Efficiency (ऊर्जा दक्षता ब्यूरो) | Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology | RMI India | World Resources Institute

E-Mobility R&D Roadmap for Energy Independence by 2047 Launch Alert! India's ambition to achieve energy independence by 2047 is driven by a strategic focus on reducing dependence on petroleum and coal imports. The investment in renewable energy, battery storage, electric vehicles (EVs), and green hydrogen is pivotal to this vision. A crucial aspect of this is the wider adoption of electric mobility (e-mobility), aligning with the EV30@2030 targets set by the government. Currently, India's e-mobility sector heavily relies on imports across the value chain. To address this and reduce import bills, there is an urgent need to strengthen R&D capabilities within the automotive sector. The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India is proud to announce the launch of the “E-Mobility R&D Roadmap” on July 16, 2024. This roadmap outlines the technical areas and research projects that require immediate action in the Indian context over the next five years. This roadmap not only aims to make India Atmanirbhar but also to position the country as a global leader in innovative mobility solutions. Read more about the EV Mission propelled by the Office of PSA here: https://lnkd.in/gUvSUNfu Dr (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini | Dr. Preeti Banzal | Dr. Sneha Malhotra | Karthick Athmanathan | S. A. Sundaresan | Samraj Jabez Dhinagar | Shankar Ram Coimbatore Subramanian | Sagar Mitra | Ravikrishna R V | Dr. Kaushal Kumar Jha | Malobika Karanjai | Dr.K.Bala Subramanian | Mulay Abhijit | Shubham Agarwal | Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) | Indian Institute of Technology, Madras | Ministry of Road Transport & Highways - India | Ministry Of Heavy Industries | NITI Aayog | Bureau of Energy Efficiency (ऊर्जा दक्षता ब्यूरो) | Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology | RMI India | World Resources Institute

The 25th Meeting of The Prime Minister's Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) was held today at Vigyan Bhawan Annexe in New Delhi. The meeting, chaired by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India discussed policy formulation for effective Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) and Carbon Credit in India. Participants included Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member S&T, NITI Aayog; Scientific Secretary Dr (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini, Office of PSA; and the Secretaries of relevant departments including Secretary (Ministry of Power) Shri Pankaj Agarwal; Secretary (Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals) Ms. Nivedita Shukla Verma; Secretary (Ministry of Earth Sciences ) Dr. M Ravichandran; Secretary (Ministry of Coal - Official) Shri Amrit Lal Meena; Chairman (Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)) Dr. Somanath S; Chairman (Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)) Dr. Samir V Kamat; Secretary (Department of Biotechnology) Dr. Rajesh Gokhale; and Secretary (Department of Health Research) Dr. Rajiv Bahl. Prof. Sood opened the meeting by highlighting the government's focus on CCUS for CO2 emission reduction, discussing the opportunities for widespread adoption of CCUS technologies, focusing on economic feasibility, supportive policy measures, institutional arrangements, and technological feasibility for installing CCUS projects in industries. Dr. Saraswat highlighted the need for prioritizing R&D, regulatory framework, and the way forward to large-scale capacity plants. He asserted the significance of the carbon credit market, suggesting measures such as incentivization to industry to foster its development. Presentations were made on varied themes including the 'need for the formulation of the CCUS policy framework in India', 'efforts of power generation companies to promote CCUS in India', 'synthesizing a complete CCUS value chain in the Indian context', 'R&D interventions and Government of India’s support aimed at promoting CCUS in India', and ' Indian carbon market and carbon credit scheme'. In concluding remarks, Prof. Sood called for a nationwide adoption of CCUS technologies through a mission-mode approach, suggesting the Ministry of Power lead the mission as the nodal agency, with support from other relevant ministries. Read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/gCMDcnwk

PSA Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood visited (6 July 2024) the facilities of the Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) in Hanle, Ladakh. IAO, situated at an altitude of approximately 4,500 meters (14,764 feet) above sea level, is a facility of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore (IIA), autonomous institution under the Department of Science and Technology of Government of India. Director-IIA Dr. Annapurni Subramaniam and the IAO scientists accompanied Prof. Sood during the 2-m diameter optical-infrared Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT) facility, and discussed its operations. Prof. Sood also visited the proposed site of the National Large Solar Telescope at Merek, on the banks of the lake Pangong Tso. Vice Chancellor of University of Ladakh, Prof. Surinder Kumar Mehta also joined PSA in these visits. The Hanle region is known for its exceptionally clear skies and low light pollution, making it an excellent location for stargazing and astronomical observations. Hanle is also home to a unique Dark Sky Reserve designated by the International Dark-Sky Association. Abhay Karandikar | Dorje Angchuk | Department of Science & Technology, Government of India | Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore

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