India’s Sci & Tech Clusters Enter Phase 2.0: Driving Regional Innovation and National Resilience

In a year marked by technological flux and global uncertainty, India’s Science & Technology (S&T) Clusters quietly built something extraordinary: momentum. The newly released S&T Clusters Annual Report 2024–2025, reads like a blueprint of how grassroots collaboration and applied science can reshape regional innovation.

India’s Science & Technology (S&T) Clusters are collaborative innovation ecosystems designed to bridge the gap between research and real-world impact. Launched in 2020 under the guidance of the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC), and supported by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA), these clusters bring together academia, R&D institutions, industry, startups, and local governments to co-create solutions for regional and national challenges.

The Science and Technology (S&T) Clusters Annual Report 2024–2025 was officially released on June 26, 2025, by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India. It highlights how India’s 8 operational S&T Clusters are evolving into powerful engines of regional innovation and national impact.

Eight Clusters. One Mission. Countless Ripples.

From Delhi to Hyderabad, and Bengaluru to Bhubaneswar, eight operational Science & Technology Clusters are not just conducting research—they’re solving wicked problems, scaling up pilots, and translating ideas into impact. This past year marked the transition from early groundwork to full-fledged implementation, with tangible results lighting up the map.

In Delhi-NCR, the DRIIV cluster deployed EV charging infrastructure that promises to decongest and decarbonize India’s capital. Bengaluru transformed waste into value through cutting-edge e-waste processing systems. Hyderabad turned biotech labs into launchpads for health-tech tools, while Vizag’s AMTZ hub saw homegrown pacemaker leads break new ground in indigenous medical devices.

Culture, Commerce, and Code

The report also chronicles unexpected intersections—like Kalaanubhav.in, an AR/VR-enabled digital marketplace that gives traditional artisans a tech-powered stage. Or the One Delhi App, which stitched together fragmented transit systems into a smooth, digital-first commuter experience for over 300,000 users.

This convergence of science, sustainability, and social innovation hints at a broader shift: the Clusters aren’t working in silos. They’re building bridges—between disciplines, sectors, and cities.

What’s Next: From Projects to Platforms

Perhaps the most significant takeaway isn’t a single innovation, but a structural evolution. The report signals a decisive move into Phase 2.0: inter-cluster collaboration, shared R&D infrastructure, and national-scale innovation grants. The clusters are positioning themselves as platforms, not just pilots—a signal that India’s science ecosystem is ready to scale purposefully and collaboratively.

More Highlights from the S&T Clusters Annual Report 2024–2025

🔬 Health-Tech & One Health Initiatives

• Diabetic Foot Screening Mats: Low-cost, sensor-based mats developed for early detection of diabetic foot complications—already deployed in community health centers.
  
• One Health Surveillance: Integrated platforms for zoonotic disease monitoring, combining veterinary, environmental, and human health data streams.
  

🔄 Circular Economy & Sustainability

• E-Waste Management Systems: Bengaluru’s cluster piloted AI-enabled segregation and recycling units, improving material recovery rates and reducing landfill burden.
  
• Water Quality Monitoring: Real-time sensors deployed in rural and peri-urban areas to track contaminants and support local governance.
  

🧬 Indigenous Manufacturing & Deep Tech

• Pacemaker Leads at AMTZ Vizag: A breakthrough in domestic medical device manufacturing, reducing reliance on imports and lowering costs.
  
• Biotech Incubation: Hyderabad’s cluster supported over 20 startups in diagnostics, genomics, and bioinformatics, with several moving to clinical trials.
  

🧠 Capacity Building & Knowledge Sharing

• Inter-Cluster Collaborations: Joint projects between clusters (e.g., Delhi and Pune) on AI for urban planning and climate resilience.
  
• Shared Infrastructure: Access to high-end labs and equipment via the I-STEM portal, enabling cross-institutional R&D.
  

📊 Governance & Structure

• The report emphasizes a consortium-based model, where academic institutions, R&D labs, startups, and local governments co-create solutions.
  
• A new Innovation Grant Framework has been introduced to fund multi-sectoral, high-impact projects across clusters.
  

The report also signals a shift toward inter-cluster collaboration, shared infrastructure, and multi-sectoral innovation grants—marking the beginning of what’s being called Phase 2.0 of the Clusters initiative.