India and South Africa have agreed to intensify cooperation in artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure and advanced manufacturing, with both sides emphasising innovation-driven partnerships and start-up collaboration as the foundation for future engagement.
The talks also highlighted opportunities in biotechnology, renewable energy, hydrogen technologies and astronomy, signalling a broad-based strategic alignment.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh held bilateral discussions in New Delhi with Dr Nomalungelo Gina, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of South Africa. Singh stressed that the next phase of India–South Africa relations must be shaped by emerging technologies, innovation ecosystems, start-up partnerships and industry-linked research.
He underlined that both countries possess complementary strengths which can be harnessed to create affordable, scalable and inclusive technological solutions for the developing world.
The Minister noted that India has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing innovation ecosystems, supported by national initiatives in artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, cyber-physical systems, digital public infrastructure and start-up-led innovation. These advancements, he said, present new opportunities for collaborative research, technology development and innovation partnerships with South Africa.
Both countries are increasingly contributing to shaping international conversations on science, technology and innovation through platforms such as BRICS, IBSA, G20 and the Indian Ocean Rim Association. Singh emphasised that India and South Africa, as influential voices of the Global South, are well placed to advance cooperation across multiple strategic sectors.
A major outcome of the discussions was the decision to intensify collaboration in advanced materials and manufacturing, geospatial technologies and digital infrastructure.
These priority areas, identified under the India–South Africa Joint Committee mechanism, will see accelerated interactions among scientists, institutions and technical experts to transform focus areas into concrete collaborative programs and outcomes.
The talks also highlighted substantial opportunities in biotechnology, genomics, vaccine development, health technologies and pandemic preparedness.
South Africa expressed strong interest in expanding cooperation with India in renewable energy, hydrogen technologies, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, health sciences, vaccine research and skills development. This builds upon nearly 150 co-funded research projects already undertaken jointly across multiple scientific disciplines.
The two sides also reviewed progress in astronomy cooperation, particularly under the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project, which is one of the largest international scientific collaborations in radio astronomy. This reflects the growing scope of India–South Africa scientific engagement beyond conventional technology domains.
Dr Jitendra Singh invited South Africa’s active participation in the BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation Ministerial Meeting scheduled to be held in Chennai in August 2026. In turn, South Africa invited India to participate in the Science Forum South Africa 2026, further strengthening institutional linkages and scientific exchanges.
The engagement concluded with a shared commitment to building a future-ready innovation partnership driven by research excellence, technology development, start-up collaboration and scientific exchanges. Both nations aim to generate long-term benefits not only for themselves but also for the broader Global South, positioning their cooperation as a model for inclusive and sustainable technological growth.
ANI
