By: IPP Bureau
Last updated : September 07, 2026 8:17 am
Union minister said technologies should not reach commercialisation only to discover that modifications are required to meet actual user requirements
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, and MoS in the PMO, Dr. Jitendra Singh has called for a fundamental shift in the way industry and research institutions collaborate, urging companies to become commercial partners in R&D projects from the outset rather than only at the technology-transfer stage.
Speaking during an interaction with CEOs, CSOs and COOs of industry at the 6th RISE Conclave at CSIR-Institute of Chemical Biology (CSIR-IICB), Kolkata, Singh said potential commercial partners should be identified during project planning itself so that market requirements, user needs and practical considerations can influence technology development from the beginning.
“The commercial arm should be in association with the lab right from day one,” Singh said, emphasising that early industry participation can help researchers address market dynamics, product design, environmental sustainability, supply-chain requirements and commercial viability before a technology reaches the market.
He said technologies should not reach commercialisation only to discover that modifications are required to meet actual user requirements.
The interaction also provided a platform for industry representatives to raise specific technological and policy challenges with the Minister. Critical minerals and indigenous technologies emerged as key areas of discussion, including rare-earth extraction, permanent magnets, recycling, lithium beneficiation and recovery of strategic minerals such as vanadium and titanium.
For the foundry sector, Singh suggested exploring the creation of a common R&D facility, with industry players coming together to define their requirements and the government facilitating the platform. He similarly urged steel-sector companies to collaborate and collectively articulate their R&D needs.
The discussion also touched on indigenous production of anti-snake venom. Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals raised the possibility of reviving domestic production, citing the distinct snake species and associated regional requirements in eastern India. Singh advised the company to engage with the West Bengal Health Ministry and ensure that any such initiative is aligned with scientific and public-health requirements.
A startup working in the snakebite and venom space also presented technologies for identifying the species responsible for a snakebite and developing new antivenom solutions. Singh welcomed the innovation but stressed that such technologies would require scientific validation and clinical trials before wider adoption, underscoring that patient safety cannot be compromised.
“You tell us what we can do for you or what we are not doing for you, or what we can do better for you,” he said, signalling the government’s willingness to facilitate stronger industry-science linkages.
He also stressed that industry engagement should not be limited to formal conclaves. “If there are further inputs, you are always free. Not that you have to wait for a formal occasion like this,” Singh said.