India and the UK have strengthened their strategic research alliance at the 8th Science and Innovation Council (SIC) meeting, aiming to connect premier research with industrial application, investment, and real-world results. 

The co-chairs for the summit were India’s Science and Technology Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh, and the UK’s Business and Trade Secretary, Rt. Hon. Jonathan Reynolds MP. 

Both India and the United Kingdom have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening industrial investment and strategic ties. By capitalizing on established frameworks—such as the Technology Security Initiative (TSI), the Research and Innovation partnership MoU, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, and Vision 2035—the two nations are establishing a more robust platform for long-term collaboration. 

The meeting explored new collaborative paths to strengthen the India-UK Technology Security Initiative (TSI) and the bilateral MoU on Research and Innovation. This partnership aims to co-develop and deploy critical and emerging technologies that boost economic growth and mutual security. Discussions highlighted key focal points, including the Connectivity and Innovation Center, the Joint AI Centre, and the Critical Minerals Guild. 

The Council launched UK-India Technology Translation Partnerships with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India. It will connect UK Catapults India's Science and technology Clusters to support technology development, validation, industry collaboration, pilots, and commercialisation. 

The Council agreed to explore a partnership between Russell Group Universities and India's Technology Innovation Hubs in mutually agreed areas. Additionally, they welcomed the Thematic analysis for the UK-India Research and Innovation Corridor, which identifies seven shared themes and five priority opportunities. 

The Council also announced the InnoXchange Programme to connect startups, incubators, and accelerators. Furthermore, they agreed to explore a partnership with the Anusandhan National Research Foundation to link research and technology translation with investment and scale-up. Finally, they welcomed the Phase 2 Implementation Agreement for the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source partnership. 

The two nations have agreed to expand their bilateral cooperation across scientific, technological, and clean energy sectors through several joint initiatives. 

Both sides welcomed the establishment of the Genomics Centre of Excellence between Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) Pvt. Ltd. and India’s Center for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (BRIC-CDFD). They also introduced the UK-India Biomanufacturing Partnership, a joint effort by the UK’s Centre for Process Innovation and India’s Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council aimed at accelerating biotech translation and commercial scale-up.

Furthermore, the partners committed to broader collaborations spanning biomanufacturing, biotechnology, genomics, femtech, and sustainable agriculture. In the energy sector, they formalized partnerships focused on Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS), electricity grid resilience, energy storage, and advanced battery technologies. Looking forward, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Government of India will explore future joint opportunities in next-generation batteries, pharmaceuticals, and medical technologies. 

Both sides agreed to a further £3 million investment by India's Department of Science and Technology over five years will expand access for Indian researchers, support early-career researcher development and strengthen collaboration in advanced materials, physical sciences, and multidisciplinary research.