'Bengaluru key to India-UK science and tech ties' - Deccan Herald

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As India and the UK firm up a framework for their collaboration in scientific innovation and technologies, Bengaluru is set for an important role in the partnership.

The UK’s Minister for Science, Research and Innovation George Freeman said engagement with India’s “premier technology city”, which also has a strong startup ecosystem, was key to deepening ties between the two countries in science, research, technology, and innovation.

“We see Bengaluru as the fundamental link point between the UK and India. If the UK-India science and technology collaboration has to be headquartered anywhere, it has to be here,” Freeman told DH.

The agreement on the collaboration was signed during a visit to the UK by Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh, in April.

Freeman was in the city on Friday as part of a week-long India visit in connection with the G20 Research Ministers’ Meeting, in Mumbai.

In Bengaluru, he met about 15 technology company leaders and discussed potential partnerships. At the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Freeman had interactions regarding the institute's role in the collaboration. The IISc also houses the Innovating for Transport and Energy Systems centre, backed by the UK and Indian governments.

AI adoption

The UK sees India as the best access route for its startups into the Asian market, Freeman said. The two countries will, over the next few months, chalk out a framework for the specific areas of collaboration. Artificial Intelligence, semiconductors, bioengineering, and quantum technologies are among the areas in focus.

“The UK is a major AI economy, but it is in India where we see the applications, in transforming the industry supply chains, robotics, urban management, NetZero, health, and other areas. The adoption will be exponential,” Freeman said.

The minister also launched the UK-India Hydrogen Sprint in Bengaluru, with Tata Steel as the first sponsor, awarding £80,000 (approx Rs 80 lakh) in funding to researchers and innovators in the two countries to develop low-carbon hydrogen.

A 5G connectivity test-bed, a £1.4-million (approx Rs 14 crore) project led by the University of East Anglia, is also being developed as part of the UK-India Future Networks Initiative.

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