Govt to explore ways to draw desi researchers back to India: Piyush Goyal

BERLIN: Observing that a large number of young Indian researchers and engineers pursuing higher education at foreign universities or working abroad were willing to return to India, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said govt would explore ways to attract them back.After meeting a group of Indian researchers in Berlin Friday, Goyal said the challenge goes beyond financial incentives to creating a supportive ecosystem for research and innovation.He intended to discuss the issue with govt, educational institutions, academia, research institutions and industry in order to forge stronger partnerships, he said.Goyal said that many Indian researchers he interacted with in Germany were keen to take their learning back home and contribute to India’s growth, rather than simply look for jobs abroad.They also cited China’s state-sponsored initiative to reverse the brain drain and build domestic innovation capacity.“It’s a good initiative, but then comes the difference between a dictatorship and democracy,” Goyal replied when asked if India could also consider a similar initiative.Goyal also called for deeper collaboration between Indian and German research institutions in the fields of power electronics, semiconductors, quantum computing, smart manufacturing, automobiles, batteries, logistics and agriculture, with a focus on taking research from laboratories to commercial applications.Amid rapid changes in technology and the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs, Goyal said his ministry was exploring the idea of identifying sectors where AI could improve efficiency without necessarily replacing human workers.He cited handicrafts, handloom, culinary arts and tourism as areas where India’s traditional skills could give it a competitive edge.You use AI every day.

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