India and South Africa on Wednesday agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in future technologies, with Artificial Intelligence, digital infrastructure and advanced manufacturing emerging as key priorities for the next phase of bilateral engagement.
During his interaction with Dr. Nomlungelo Zina, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of South Africa, who met him along with a high-level delegation, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh called for taking the relationship beyond traditional research collaborations towards innovation-driven partnerships capable of driving large-scale economic and social impact.
Holding bilateral talks with Dr Nomlungelo Gina, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation of South Africa, Dr Jitendra Singh said the next phase of India-South Africa engagement should be shaped by emerging technologies, innovation ecosystem, startup partnerships and industry-linked research. He said both countries have complementary strengths that can be used to create affordable, scalable and inclusive technology solutions for the developing world.
The Minister said India and South Africa share a unique partnership built through a common history, democratic values and a shared commitment to inclusive growth.
He said that as influential voices of the Global South, both countries are increasingly contributing to shaping the international dialogue on science, technology and innovation through platforms such as BRICS, IBSA, G20 and IORA, while also pursuing bilateral cooperation in a number of strategic areas.
The meeting was held at Dutva Bhawan, New Delhi. DST Secretary Dr. Rajesh S. in the Indian delegation. Gokhale, senior officials of the department and representatives of the Ministry of External Affairs. The South African delegation was led by Deputy Minister Dr. Nomlungelo Gina and included senior officials from the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and the South African High Commission.
Dr Jitendra Singh said India has emerged as one of the world's fastest growing innovation ecosystems, supported by major national initiatives in Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Technologies, Cyber-Physical Systems, Digital Public Infrastructure and startup-led innovation. He said these developments present new opportunities for collaborative research, technology development and innovation partnerships with South Africa.
Emphasizing that science must rapidly translate into solutions that improve lives, create jobs and strengthen economies, the Minister called for deeper engagement between research institutions, innovation agencies, startups and industry of the two countries.
He said that future collaboration should focus not only on scientific excellence but also on technology deployment, commercialization and social outcomes.
A major outcome of the discussions was the decision to intensify cooperation in priority areas identified under the India-South Africa Joint Committee Mechanism, advanced materials and manufacturing, geospatial technologies and digital infrastructure. Both sides agreed to accelerate interactions between scientists, institutions and technical experts to translate these focus areas into concrete collaborative programs and outcomes.
The discussions also highlighted substantial opportunities in biotechnology, genomics, vaccine development, health technologies and pandemic preparedness. Dr Jitendra Singh said recent global experiences have reinforced the importance of resilient health care systems and scientific partnerships, adding that India's strengths in biotechnology, affordable health care innovation and vaccine manufacturing provide significant scope for collaboration with South Africa.
South Africa expressed keen interest in enhancing cooperation with India in renewable energy, hydrogen technologies, advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, health sciences, vaccine research and skill development. Dr. Jeena said that South Africa values India as a reliable partner and is keen to strengthen institutional linkages, research collaboration and innovation partnerships in priority areas.
Recalling the strong foundation of bilateral scientific engagement, he said the two countries have already built an extensive network of collaborative research initiatives, including about 150 co-funded projects in various scientific disciplines. He expressed confidence that the partnership is now well positioned for significant expansion into emerging technology domains and innovation-driven collaboration.
The two leaders also reviewed cooperation in astronomy, one of the key areas of India-South Africa scientific engagement. Dr Jitendra Singh highlighted the importance of the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) project and described it as one of the most ambitious scientific endeavors of the century and 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 scientific engagement, Dr Jitendra Singh invited South Africa's active participation in the BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation Ministerial Meeting to be held in Chennai in August 2026. He said BRICS cooperation is creating new opportunities for collaborative research in areas such as high performance computing, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, biotechnology, water resources, precision agriculture and materials science.
The South African side also invited India to participate in the Science Forum South Africa 2026, 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 regular institutional interactions and high-level exchanges.
India and South Africa have maintained a vibrant science and technology partnership since the signing of a bilateral S&T agreement in 1995. Over the years, this relationship has expanded to astronomy, biotechnology, health sciences, indigenous knowledge systems, renewable energy, advanced materials and earth sciences. The two countries have jointly supported dozens of research projects and continue to deepen cooperation through structured institutional mechanisms.
The meeting concluded with a shared resolve to build a strong, future-ready innovation partnership driven by research excellence, technology development, startup collaboration and people-to-people scientific exchanges, aimed at generating meaningful benefits for both countries and contributing to the broader development aspirations of the Global South.