New partnership to promote technology transfer, research collaboration and capacity building in healthcare, agriculture, digital economy and other key sectors

 

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 4, 2026

In a significant push towards strengthening South-South cooperation, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and DAKSHIN-Global South Centre of Excellence at the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) have joined hands to promote science, technology and innovation-driven development across countries of the Global South.

The two institutions signed a Letter of Association (LoA) on November 3, with a shared commitment to strengthening research collaboration, capacity building and technology partnerships to address common developmental challenges and advance sustainable and inclusive growth.

The partnership seeks to leverage CSIR's extensive scientific and technological expertise, including its portfolio of affordable, adaptable and ready-to-deploy technologies, and DAKSHIN's international platform for promoting knowledge sharing and mutual learning among developing countries.

The collaboration is expected to facilitate the wider dissemination of appropriate technologies, technology transfer, industry-led implementation and entrepreneurship across partner countries, particularly in areas where affordable and locally relevant solutions are critical to development.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Rama Swami Bansal, Head of CSIR's International S&T Affairs Directorate, emphasised the importance of international engagement among countries of the Global South and highlighted the scope for developing innovative models of collaborative partnerships to address shared developmental priorities.

Professor Sachin Kumar Sharma, Director General of RIS, described the association with CSIR as a significant milestone in translating scientific expertise and technological innovations into collaborative and impactful solutions for countries across the Global South.

He highlighted the immense potential for cooperation in critical sectors, including healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, the blue economy and the digital economy, which are central to the developmental aspirations of emerging economies.

Under the agreement, the two institutions will work towards undertaking joint policy studies to identify innovative and context-specific solutions to developmental challenges. The partnership will also focus on engaging relevant institutions and agencies to facilitate the scaling up of development interventions, besides promoting capacity building, human resource development and skill upgradation.

Another key thrust area will be documenting and sharing development experiences, best practices and success stories to strengthen collective self-reliance among countries of the Global South.

The association is expected to emerge as an important platform for deepening South-South cooperation, catalysing international partnerships and facilitating the transfer, adaptation and deployment of appropriate science and technology solutions.

By combining CSIR's scientific and technological capabilities with DAKSHIN's global engagement network, the initiative aims to accelerate the development and dissemination of affordable, sustainable and locally relevant technologies and products.

The collaboration is also expected to contribute to the broader Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by enabling developing countries to harness scientific innovation, strengthen institutional capacities and pursue development pathways tailored to their specific needs.