India and South Africa committed on Wednesday to significantly expand their bilateral cooperation in emerging technologies, positioning Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing as the primary focus areas for their next phase of engagement.

During a meeting held at Kartavya Bhawan in New Delhi, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh hosted South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Nomalungelo Gina, and her high-level delegation. Dr. Singh advocated for elevating the nations’ relationship beyond traditional research cooperation, calling instead for innovation-driven partnerships capable of delivering economic and societal impact at scale.

Dr. Singh stated that the next phase of India-South Africa engagement must be shaped by emerging technologies, innovation ecosystems, startup partnerships, and industry-linked research. He stressed that both countries possess complementary strengths, which can be leveraged to create affordable, scalable, and inclusive technological solutions for the developing world. The minister highlighted that their unique partnership is forged through a common history, democratic values, and a shared commitment to inclusive growth. Furthermore, as influential voices of the Global South, both countries are increasingly shaping international conversations on science, technology, and innovation through platforms such as BRICS, IBSA, G20, and IORA, while concurrently advancing bilateral cooperation across multiple strategic sectors.

The Indian delegation included Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), alongside senior DST officials and representatives from the Ministry of External Affairs. The South African contingent, led by Dr. Gina, comprised senior officials from the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and the South African High Commission.

Highlighting domestic progress, Dr. Singh stated that India has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing innovation ecosystems, supported by major national initiatives in AI, Quantum Technologies, Cyber-Physical Systems, Digital Public Infrastructure, and startup-led innovation. He explained that these advancements present new opportunities for collaborative research, technology development, and innovation partnerships with South Africa. Emphasizing that science must increasingly translate into solutions that improve lives, generate employment, and strengthen economies, the minister called for deeper engagement among research institutions, innovation agencies, startups, and industry from both nations. Future cooperation, he added, should focus not only on scientific excellence but also on technology deployment, commercialization, and societal outcomes.

A major outcome of Wednesday’s talks was the decision to intensify collaboration in advanced materials and manufacturing, geospatial technologies, and digital infrastructure—priority areas previously identified under the India-South Africa Joint Committee mechanism. Both sides agreed to accelerate interactions among scientists, technical experts, and institutions to transform these focus areas into concrete collaborative programs.

Discussions also explored substantial opportunities in biotechnology, genomics, vaccine development, health technologies, and pandemic preparedness. Dr. Singh noted that recent global experiences have reinforced the importance of resilient healthcare systems and scientific partnerships, adding that India’s strengths in affordable healthcare innovation, biotechnology, and vaccine manufacturing offer significant scope for collaboration with South Africa.

In response, South Africa expressed strong interest in expanding cooperation with India in renewable energy, hydrogen technologies, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, health sciences, vaccine research, and skills development. Dr. Gina stated that South Africa values India as a trusted partner and is keen to strengthen institutional linkages, research collaboration, and innovation partnerships across these priority sectors. Recalling the robust foundation of their bilateral scientific engagement, she noted that the two nations have already built an extensive network of collaborative research initiatives, encompassing nearly 150 co-funded projects across diverse scientific disciplines. She expressed confidence that the partnership is now well-positioned for significant expansion in emerging technology domains and innovation-driven collaboration.

The two leaders also reviewed ongoing cooperation in astronomy, a flagship area of their scientific engagement. Dr. Singh highlighted the significance of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project, describing it as one of the most ambitious scientific endeavors of the century. He called it a powerful example of how international collaboration can drive scientific discovery, advanced computing capabilities, technological innovation, and human resource development.

Recognizing the growing importance of multilateral engagement, Dr. Singh invited South Africa’s active participation in the BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation Ministerial Meeting, scheduled to be held in Chennai in August 2026. He noted that BRICS cooperation is creating new opportunities for collaborative research in areas such as high-performance computing, AI, renewable energy, biotechnology, water resources, precision agriculture, and materials science. Conversely, the South African side invited India to participate in the Science Forum South Africa 2026, recognized as one of Africa’s premier platforms for global scientific dialogue, knowledge exchange, and innovation partnerships. Both sides welcomed the opportunity to further strengthen scientific engagement through high-level exchanges and regular institutional interactions.

India and South Africa have maintained a vibrant Science and Technology partnership since the signing of their bilateral S&T Agreement in 1995. Over the years, this relationship has expanded across astronomy, biotechnology, health sciences, indigenous knowledge systems, renewable energy, advanced materials, and earth sciences. The nations have jointly supported dozens of research projects and continue to deepen collaboration through structured institutional mechanisms.

The meeting concluded with a shared resolve to build a stronger, future-ready innovation partnership driven by research excellence, technology development, startup collaboration, and people-to-people scientific exchanges, aiming to generate meaningful benefits for both nations and contribute to the broader development aspirations of the Global South.