In a move to deepen ties, India and the United States announced several collaborations in the education sector, among others, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi on Friday evening.
According to an official statement, Indian universities represented by the Council of Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT Council) and the Association of American Universities (AAU) have entered into an agreement to establish the India-US Global Challenges Institute, pledging a joint initial investment of at least 10 million US dollars.
The Global Challenges Institute will unite leading research and higher education institutions from both nations to advance various fields of science and technology. These fields include sustainable energy, agriculture, health, pandemic preparedness, semiconductor technology, advanced materials, telecommunications, artificial intelligence, and quantum science. This collaboration aims to address global challenges that require interdisciplinary solutions.
Moreover, IIT-Kanpur is partnering with New York University Tandon School of Engineering to launch the NYU-Tandon Advanced Research Center in critical and emerging technologies. Additionally, IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Jodhpur, IIT-BHU, and IIT-Delhi will work with the State University of New York at Buffalo to establish Joint Research Centers. IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Hyderabad, and other institutions will also participate in the Academia Startup Partnership as part of the India-U.S. Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X).
Furthermore, IIT-Bombay has become an international partner of the Chicago Quantum Exchange, contributing to the development of a global quantum economy.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan welcomed the initiatives, emphasizing their significance in educational collaboration between India and the United States.
He said, "I applaud our Higher Education Institutions for being at the forefront of these revolutionary collaborations."
"As the G20 summit gets underway, I'm delighted to share the transformative Joint Statement issued by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden. This statement celebrates our educational collaboration through the India-US Global Challenges Institute and marks a significant milestone in defense innovation through the India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X)," the education minister said.