The Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur and Innopolis University will exchange students and faculty members

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur and Innopolis University are beginning academic cooperation. Initially, the universities will start exchanging students followed by faculty members. This was announced by the director of Chamber for Indo Russo Technology Collaboration Subham Sarkar during a business breakfast at the business forum "TIME: Russia – India. Mutual Efficiency." The business program of the forum is taking place today in the capital of Tatarstan.

"We are also starting cooperation with the IT park of Tatarstan and IT parks in India, aiming to create a joint platform for startups as well as opportunities for exchanging talents, opportunities, mutual use of infrastructure and so on. We want to work together on startups making them stronger not only for our countries but also for the entire Global South. Today the world is at a stage of global geopolitical changes, and technological centers are becoming very important. Sanctions, barriers and rates create opportunities for development. Colleagues in Russia have long found new ways of working. I feel that the time has come for India as well, for us to actively use domestic technologies and explore other opportunities. There are many of them in Russian-Indian cooperation," said Subham Sarkar.

There is interest in India in cooperation in the field of secondary professional education. Dana Kishore, the Principal Secretary of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) of Labor, Employment, Training and Factories Department (LET&F Department) and Deputy Chairman of the Telangana Overseas Manpower Corporation of the State of Telangana reported that in the state, where large-scale production of pharmaceutical products sold worldwide has been established, a vision for development until 2035 has been formed. For example, there are plans to develop artificial intelligence and create institutes for developing its capabilities. In addition, the state is a territory for manufacturing many goods and it is interested in developing secondary professional education to train specialists for manufacturing units.

"This could become a point of development for cooperation between Tatarstan and India. We are confident that there are many competent people in Tatarstan, and you understand how to develop these professional skills. Moreover, there is a large community of students from India and other countries in Kazan. And we are confident that specialists from our country can come to Tatarstan to learn the skills we currently lack," said Dana Kishore.

In addition, a center of competence may be opened in India, to which Russia, and Tatarstan in particular, can contribute in terms of work and development. The state of Telangana is interested in creating a data center and collaborating in the oil and gas sector. "We can jointly develop innovative solutions in the field of artificial intelligence," said Dana Kishore.

The mayor of the city of Agra, Hemlata Diwakar, reported that a large number of students enroll in technical universities every year, including Russia. "Having visited personally and seen the benefits students receive here, I am confident that Russia may become a more attractive country compared to others," she said.

Hemlata Diwakar mentioned that Agra has developed industries in pharmaceuticals, footwear, fertilizer production and various small business sectors. In each of these areas cooperation with Tatarstan can be developed.

The mayor of Agra expressed the opinion that the business forum "TIME: Russia – India. Mutual Efficiency" will contribute to strengthening the existing ties and their diversification. "I am confident the forum will promote business cooperation to unprecedented heights," the mayor emphasized.

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The business forum "TIME: Russia – India. Mutual Efficiency" is taking place in Kazan on October 8-9, 2025. It is held with the support of the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Embassy of the Republic of India in Russia. The autonomous non-profit organization "Directorate of International Programs" acts as an operator responsible for preparation and conduct of the event.

An event of this kind, focusing on cooperation between Russia and India, is being held for the first time. The main goals and objectives are to strengthen trade-economic, scientific-technical, social and cultural ties between the regions of Russia and the administrative divisions of India; to attract leading global experts for joint discussion of current economic and political issues; to organize the exchange of experience in successful practices of implementing financial, investment and infrastructure projects; to develop recommendations for determining strategic prospects for developing international economic, scientific-technical, social and cultural relations among the forum participants.

The forum is attended by business leaders and heads of major companies from Russia and India; government officials; representatives of international organizations and business unions; experts in the fields of economics, investment and finance; representatives of educational and cultural organizations; representatives of mass media and blogosphere.