New report reveals real-world impact from UK-India researchand innovation partnership

The report illustrates the strong UK-India research and innovation relationship, its impact and the opportunities for further bilateral collaboration.

This report analyses bilateral research and innovation projects co-funded by India and UKRI and provides evidence of scholarly, economic and societal impact.

UKRI and Indian partners have co-invested over £330 million in joint programmes, which the report shows has generated more than £450 million in further funding, from public bodies, non-profit organisations and commercial entities, attesting to the relevance of these projects.

Delivered by Elsevier Pvt Ltd., this impact report is a testimony to the UK and Indian research and innovation communities working together towards shared challenges. The report exemplifies real-world impact, from life-saving medical devices to apps allowing a digital experience of Delhi. Over 200 technical outputs, including 84 new databases and 20 new pieces of software are listed as outcomes and impacts of UKRI-India collaboration in the report.

The report shows 1,665 scholarly publications, with an average field-weighted citation impact of 2.2, which is more than twice the global average. 5% of these publications were amongst the top 1% of most highly cited publications globally. Another interesting indicator is that 9% of all publications were written via academic–corporate collaboration, which is three times more than the global average.

UKRI-India projects align and contribute to UN Sustainable Development Goals, with over 43% of publications focusing on SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy and SDG 3 – Good Health and Wellbeing.

Since 2008, UKRI India has facilitated a diverse portfolio of collaborative programmes, with over 258 joint projects, more than 220 lead institutions from the UK and India. The report shows engineering, energy, and materials science as the top three subject areas for publications, impact has been noted in 21 sectors, including culture, social science and technology.

Download the report and read more about the impact of UKRI-India joint programmes.

Alex Ellis, British High Commissioner to India, said: > I welcome this report which shows how research and innovation contributes to the UK and India’s deep rooted partnership and collaborative efforts to transform the lives of people in both our countries, and beyond.

Welcoming the new report, Professor Christopher Smith, UKRI’s International Champion, said:

Everyone knows this highly interconnected world that we all inhabit is facing multiple challenges. Climate change and health are just two examples. But as this report demonstrates, our India and UK partnerships are brilliant examples of how international research and innovation collaboration plays a vital role in discovering sustainable solutions. Sharing our expertise, knowledge and experience through partnerships has brought positive benefits across India, the UK and globally, and we look forward to building on those successes in the years ahead.

Rebecca Fairbairn, Director UKRI India, said:

UKRI India is delighted with the findings of this report and the impact of our research and innovation collaboration with India. Our partnership with Indian funders has led to the development of new knowledge and products. Our shared commitment to high quality, high impact bilateral research and innovation is positively changing lives. As we launch this impact report, I am delighted to announce that we are working with our partner funders in India to explore new priority areas that connect to our shared 2030 Roadmap for India-UK future relations.

• Climate Adaptation and Resilience: Over £1m funding towards 8 new UK-India projects for collaborative research that addresses key environmental research challenges relevant to the COP26 Adaptation and Resilience Theme. Findings from these projects are expected to form the basis of future bilateral opportunities between the UK and India.

Enhancing Food Quality: A scoping project with an aim to gain a comprehensive view of the challenges, opportunities and capabilities in the UK and India in the areas of food and nutrition, and to recommend areas for future UK-India collaboration to solve public health challenges.

• Creative Industries and Cultural Heritage – In partnership with the British Council and other partners in India, UKRI has launched funding opportunities in the Creative Industries, Cultural Heritage and for research related to the 75th anniversary of Independence in India in 2022.

Further Information:

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) launched in April 2018, is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Our organisation brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England, which is responsible for supporting research and knowledge exchange at higher education institutions in England, and the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK. Our nine councils work together in innovative ways to deliver an ambitious agenda, drawing on our great depth and breadth of expertise and the enormous diversity of our portfolio. Through our councils we maintain and champion the creativity and vibrancy of disciplines and sector-specific priorities and communities. Our councils shape and deliver both sectoral and domain-specific support. Whether through research council grants, quality-related block grants from Research England, or grants and wider support for innovative businesses from Innovate UK, we work with our stakeholders to understand the opportunities and requirements of all the different parts of the research and innovation landscape, maintaining the health, breadth and depth of the system.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) India, plays a key role in enhancing the research and innovation collaboration between the UK and India. Since 2008, the UK and Indian governments, and third parties, have together invested over £330 million in co-funded research and innovation programmes across a range of subjects. This joint investment has led to more than 258 individual projects, with more than 220 lead institutions from the UK and India.

New priority areas:

• Climate Adaptation and Resilience: Over £1m funding towards eight new UK-India projects for collaborative research that addresses key environmental research challenges relevant to the COP26 Adaptation and Resilience Theme. Spanning over the next six months, these are small, scoping projects between teams of UK and Indian researchers to conduct research that addresses one or more questions around climate adaptation and resilience that link to the COP26 Action on Adaptation.

These eight projects are:

• Project title: EMPOWER: Empowering citizen and community adaptation to systemic risks from climate change

UK – University of Reading India – Indian Institute of Management, Nagpur and Sundarban Foundation

• Project title: Diversification of potential crop species in brackishwater aquaculture, adaptation for climate resilience

UK – University of Southampton India – Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (ICAR)

• Project title: ENACT: Evaluating the feasibility and efficacy of integrated catchment-scale Nature-based solutions for Climate Change adaptaTion in India

UK – Loughborough University India – Indian Institute for Technology (IIT) Roorkee, IIT Jammu, IIT Guwahati, The Assam Royal Global University, Jai Maa Bagala Helping Hand and Assam Science Technology and Environment Council

• Project title: Potential for scaling up indigenous rainwater harvesting techniques in semi-arid regions of India UK – Cranfield University

India – IIT Roorkee and Gram Vikas Navyuvak Mandal Laporiya (GVNML)

• Project title: Improving adaptation strategies for climate extremes and air pollution affecting India UK- University of Hertfordshire

India – IIT Bombay, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Punjab University and National Atmospheric Research Laboratory, India

• Project title: Developing a Framework for Landslide Susceptibility and Adaptability in South East Asia (SEAL) UK – Durham University

India – IIT Mandi and Seven Associated Consultants

• Project title: Understanding synergies and tensions in air quality-climate adaptation needs: A UK-India Proof of Concept

UK – University of Birmingham India – IIT Delhi

• Project title: An early warning system to improve adaptive capabilities and resilience of vulnerable Himalayan communities to extreme rainfall and flooding

UK – University of Birmingham India – IIT Roorkee and People’s Science Institute

Enhancing Food Quality led by UKRI’s Innovate UK: A scoping project with an aim to gain a comprehensive view of the challenges, opportunities and capabilities in the UK and India in the areas of food and nutrition, and to recommend areas for future UK-India collaboration to solve public health challenges.

• Creative Industries and Cultural Heritage led by UKRI’s Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) – UKRI’s AHRC and Innovate UK are working with the British Council and partners in India, to build partnership in the Creative Industries, Cultural Heritage and the 75th anniversary of Independence in India in 2022. The aims of this opportunity are to support a programme of India-UK collaborative research activities which map and analyse the current research and innovation landscape in these areas; highlight key outcomes of recently funded research; identify synergies and emerging research challenges; and foster new partnerships for engagement.

A call is currently open for applications from the UK. Deadline to submit 9 November 2021,1600 UK time.

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