Overview of the working session
The meeting followed the 11th Session of the Viet Nam - India Joint Sub-Committee on Science and Technology held on October 23, 2026, marking the resumption of this cooperation mechanism after a 10-year hiatus since the 10th Session in New Delhi.
At the reception, Professor Umesh Waghmare stated that alongside promoting scientific research, a new strategic direction of the Indian Government and Ministry of Science and Technology is to bring research outcomes into practice and enterprises through policies that foster innovation.
Accordingly, India has implemented various forms of support such as seed funding, small-scale grants, the development of incubation systems, and financial and loan interest rate mechanisms to facilitate the step-by-step transformation of research results into market-ready products and applications.
In his discussions with the Indian side, Minister Vu Hai Quan highly appreciated the approach of connecting research with enterprises and the market. He proposed that fostering innovation ecosystem cooperation between Viet Nam and India become one of the central focuses in 2027, thereby strengthening connections among research organizations, universities, enterprises, and startups of both nations.
The Minister also acknowledged the outcomes achieved at the 11th Session of the Viet Nam - India Joint Sub-Committee on Science and Technology. Both sides identified priority fields, including biotechnology, marine science, advanced materials, artificial intelligence, and robotics; agreed on the orientation to co-fund approximately 5 to 10 joint research tasks in each selection call; and promoted the organization of scientific seminars to connect research institutions of the two countries.
To promptly operationalize these outcomes, Minister Vu Hai Quan requested that both sides swiftly formulate a 2027 cooperation action plan, clearly defining priority contents, focal points for implementation, and progress schedules.
The Minister emphasized that cooperation in science, technology, and innovation between Viet Nam and India must aim toward tangible results, strengthening the nexus between research, application, enterprises, and the market, thereby generating more practical cooperative products between the two countries./.
