India News | Karnataka is Steadily Positioning Itself as Global Strategic R&D Hub: Minister Priyank Kharge
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Karnataka is not just India's innovation and investment capital, it is steadily positioning itself as a global strategic R&D hub, said state Minister for IT/BT Priyank Kharge on Friday.
Bengaluru, Jul 18 (PTI) Karnataka is not just India's innovation and investment capital, it is steadily positioning itself as a global strategic R&D hub, said state Minister for IT/BT Priyank Kharge on Friday.
He was delivering the keynote address at the second edition of the CII Karnataka R&D Conclave 2025 held in Bengaluru.
"With a deep talent pool, robust infrastructure, and progressive policy ecosystem, our state is primed to lead in high-impact research and future technologies globally. We are committed to inclusive innovation that uplifts every region and sector of Karnataka, while powering global progress," he said.
According to him, to truly realise the vision, Karnataka must strengthen industry-academia partnerships, attract private investments into deep tech and emerging sectors, and create a fertile ground where ideas can scale into global solutions.
"Together, we can make Karnataka not only a beacon for R&D excellence but a launchpad for transformative change," he said.
CII Karnataka State Council chairman Rabindra Srikantan said the second edition of the R&D Conclave reflects CII's continued commitment to positioning Karnataka as a global R&D powerhouse.
"By fostering deeper collaboration between industry, government, and academia, we aim to accelerate innovation, enable knowledge exchange, and drive inclusive, technology-led growth across the state," he added.
CII Karnataka R&D Summit 2025 co-chair Gopichand Katragadda said the central government's Rs 1 lakh crore push for research, development and innovation is a great opportunity. Karnataka must lead from the front not just from the capital, but by nurturing inclusive R&D ecosystems across the state.
"Large corporations must play a pivotal role by matching government investment in innovation and collaborating with academia and startups, turning this national momentum into tangible economic growth and global impact," he added.
Ahmedabad University Vice Chancellor Pankaj Chandra said building a globally competitive R&D ecosystem requires aligning talent, investment, and purpose.
"It's not just about funding research, but about backing the right projects, enabling experimentation, and translating innovation into impact. India needs a collaborative roadmap linking universities, industry, and government to drive outcomes, build capability, and strengthen our global competitiveness," he added.
The conference featured a workshop on "Transforming R&D in Indian Firms" that explored strategies to enhance research capabilities, foster innovation culture, and drive global competitiveness among Indian enterprises.
The sessions over the day discussed taking R&D beyond Bengaluru to build regional innovation hubs, accelerating deep tech lab-to-market pathways, and strengthening strategic R&D in defence, aerospace, and space.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)