Industry-academia coordination vital for technology-driven India: CM Adityanath

Kanpur, Sep 3 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday underlined the need for stronger collaboration between industry and academia to position India as a global hub of technology and sustainable development.

He was addressing the Samanvay industry-academia engagement program at IIT Kanpur.

Highlighting the event's theme of "coordination," the CM said discussions on artificial intelligence, cyber security and sustainability would not only advance innovation but also directly improve citizens' quality of life.

"Industry-academia collaboration today is linked to solving global challenges and building a Viksit and Atmanirbhar Bharat," he said.

Tracing India's economic trajectory, Adityanath noted that while India contributed 25 per cent to global GDP until the 17th century, this fell to two per cent by 1947.

He credited recent reforms for propelling India to the world's fourth-largest economy, with the potential to rise to the third position within two years.

Praising IIT Kanpur's role in technology over six decades, he urged it to become the hub of India's first Deep-Tech India 2025 model, for which land has already been allotted.

He also sought the institute's support in strengthening cyber security, pointing out that Uttar Pradesh now has cyber police stations in all 75 districts along with a state cyber and forensic institute.

The chief minister said Uttar Pradesh had overcome its "BIMARU" (economically backward) image and is now the country's second-largest economy, thanks to better law and order, investment inflows, and infrastructure.

He cited examples of transformation in Bundelkhand, where tap water has reached every home and farm incomes have grown tenfold. Yogi also highlighted record plantation of 240 crore saplings in eight years, confirmed by the Forest Research Institute as increasing forest cover.

Adityanath called on industries to reinvest in innovation rather than focusing solely on profit.

He recalled IIT Kanpur's role during the COVID-19 pandemic and its contributions to the Defence Corridor and Med-Tech Centre, stressing that coordinated efforts would restore India's global leadership.

Cabinet Minister Rakesh Sachan, IIT Kanpur Director Professor Manindra Agarwal, TCS CTO Harry Queen, and Deputy Director Professor Brajbhushan were present at the event.

On Wednesday India's first National DeepTech Conference“ 'DeepTech Bharat' 2025 was launched at IIT Kanpur in the presence of chief minister.

The conference saw participation from Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and more than 200 venture capital firms, an official statement said.

Ir focused on AI, semiconductors, quantum technology, space tech, and biosciences, the statement added.

During the conference, India's first deep-tech accelerator and and the country's first AI co-pilot 'DeepTech Policy' 2035 was also unveiled.

The initiative aims to make Uttar Pradesh India's first deep-tech-ready state and help it achieve a USD 1 trillion economy, while extending opportunities to startups and youth from tier-2 and tier-3 cities, it said. PTI KIS OZ OZ