Purdue leadership, led by President Mung Chiang, recently concluded a multi-day trip to India, which brought together academic and research partners, U.S. and Indian government officials and industry stakeholders to strengthen the momentum of a ten-year strategic partnership. (Photo provided)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – In an important step to expand Purdue University’s global leadership in innovation and business, President Mung Chiang last week led a high-level delegation on a three-day visit to India aimed at solidifying the role of university as a critical partner in India’s fast-growing semiconductor, financial and emerging technology sectors. This visit marks a new chapter in Purdue’s 125-year relationship with India, dating back to the first Indian students.

Purdue’s leadership team held 12 high-level meetings in three cities with Indian government officials, top academic institutions and industry leaders. The discussions focused on collaboration in education, expanding joint R&D initiatives and exploring new opportunities in critical technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, finance and space.

The delegation’s visit included crucial meetings in Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai. A centerpiece of the trip was Purdue’s role in the inaugural SEMICON India conference, inaugurated by Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India. Purdue’s milestone partnership with the India Semiconductor Mission was highlighted during the conference’s opening ceremony. In May 2023, Purdue announced a transformative agreement to become the premier academic partner in semiconductors with the Government of India, advancing joint research and development, education and talent development in this vital area.

Chiang and the delegation also held strategic discussions with India’s Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who oversees the country’s semiconductor initiatives. The two leaders committed to deepening Purdue’s commitment to driving workforce development and R&D collaborations, which will strengthen India’s position as a trusted partner in the global semiconductor supply chain.

During a meeting with Dharmendra Pradhan, India’s education minister, and top Indian higher education leaders at the minister’s residence, the Purdue delegation discussed deepening education partnerships under India’s New Education Policy 2020. Pradhan expressed his support calls for strengthening cooperation in emerging technologies through a global knowledge centre; developing joint, dual and twinning courses; and creating more long-term internship opportunities for Indian students at Purdue.

The visit also focused on business and finance. The Purdue delegation met with India’s Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman, to explore joint training, finance and supply chain innovation, and research collaboration under India’s newly established Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF). In addition, the delegation met with Ram Mohan Naidu, India’s new civil aviation minister and a Purdue alumnus, to discuss collaborations in space and aviation, strengthening Purdue’s leadership in this critical area. Purdue alumnus and Indian MP Sribharat Mathukumilli also participated in this meeting.

To further deepen strategic ties, the Purdue delegation met with Indian Foreign Minister Vikram Misri to discuss the operationalization of the Indo-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies, a bilateral framework to be launched in January 2023 was launched to enhance collaboration between the semiconductor, AI, quantum and space industries. and biotechnology sectors. As a leading U.S. institution in these areas, Purdue will play a critical role in shaping the future of global challenge initiatives.

Eric Garcetti, the US ambassador to India, hosted the Purdue delegation at his residence in Delhi for a meeting. The Ambassador and his team appreciated Purdue’s strong partnership with India and expressed strong support for expanding the partnership through the establishment of the first Indo-US Global Semiconductor Challenge Institute, co-led by Purdue and leading Indian academic institutions. Chiang also sent Garcetti a special invitation to visit Purdue in the near future.

Purdue officials met with Abhay Karandikar, India’s Minister of Science and Technology and ANRF’s interim CEO, to discuss ways to further strengthen the strong partnership between Purdue and India’s Ministry of Science and Technology. The two sides expressed their support for sustaining and expanding initiatives such as the Overseas Visiting Doctoral Fellowship program. This unique program, in which 25 Indian PhD students annually conduct research at Purdue alongside faculty in a wide range of disciplines, has already produced numerous groundbreaking joint publications and research partnerships.

The delegation also met with several industry leaders, including Purdue alumnus Venu Srinivasan, chairman emeritus of TVS Motor Co., and the top leadership of Tata Consultancy Services, led by CEO K. Krithivasan.

At a Boilermaker reception in Mumbai, the delegation unveiled the plan to establish an office in India. As Purdue enters the next phase of global expansion, India remains a cornerstone of the university’s global strategy and a formally designated strategic priority country for Purdue. With close ties between academia, government and industry and a deep commitment to all three pillars of land grants, namely research, learning and engagement, the Purdue-India partnership will continue to thrive and drive innovations that shape the future of technology and education will shape. coming years.

“Purdue University and India’s 125-year partnership, spanning three centuries, reflects shared values ​​of innovation, excellence and leadership,” said Chiang. “Our recent visit has laid the foundation for even deeper and broader collaboration in the years to come, and we are excited to work with universities, companies, government agencies and alumni in India.”

Chiang was joined by Dimitrios Peroulis, senior vice president for partnerships and online; Alyssa Wilcox, senior vice president and chair of the university’s campaign planning committee; Vijay Raghunathan, vice president of global partnerships and programs and director of semiconductor education; and Jim Bullard, the Dr. Samuel R. Allen Dean of the Mitch Daniels School of Business. Leaders from Purdue’s Krach Institute of Tech Diplomacy were also in India, further strengthening the collaboration between Purdue and India.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research institution that demonstrates excellence on a large scale. Ranked among the top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with unparalleled quality and scale. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue in a variety of modes and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition for thirteen years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in its relentless pursuit of the next big leap – including the first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative – at https://www.purdue.edu / president/strategic initiatives.