Atomic, defence, space units look for collaborations with private companies

Bengaluru: India’s atomic, space and defence labs will be tasked with identifying projects that they can work on and build jointly with private companies and academia to strengthen the local innovation ecosystem, according to the draft science and technology policy released on Thursday.

The potential expertise of academics and industry will be tapped to undertake design and developments with necessary non-disclosure agreements for the benefit of the country, it said.

“This is the general philosophy of the government to encourage industry and R&D labs, academia working together. The strategic lab itself cannot be aatmanirbhar (self-reliant) if they don’t have the connection with the outside world,” Department of Science and Technology secretary Ashutosh Sharma told ET. “Some things are done well by the industry, some things by the (labs), the knowledge is not there in only one place.”