NewzVille Desk
Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh graced the inaugural session and addressed the Technology and Innovation Conclave 2.0 in New Delhi today. Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Secretary, DSIR & Director General, CSIR; Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences; Stefan Priesner, UN Resident Coordinator for India, and other scientists and dignitaries were also present on the occasion.
The 3-day Conclave is jointly organized by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, and the Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT) of UNESCAP.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Jitendra Singh said that India is ready to play a larger global role in Artificial Intelligence (AI) -led climate action, but Artificial Intelligence must be deployed alongside human judgement, institutional cooperation and global partnerships if it is to effectively address climate change and build resilience against extreme weather events.
He further said, Climate change was “too serious a subject to be left to one nation alone” and could not be mitigated unless countries worked together across borders.
The conclave, themed “AI for Climate Action and Resilience”, opened with the introduction of innovators and startups, followed by a high-level inaugural session that brought together senior Indian officials and United Nations representatives, reflecting the growing convergence between national science priorities and global climate action.
A new lecture series “SANKALP” (Synergy for Advanced Networks, Knowledge, and Academia–Industry Learning Progress) was launched during the inaugural session.
Dr Singh also presented awards to winners of a hackathon focused on AI-driven solutions for climate and resilience challenges.
Highlighting the international character of the conclave, Dr. N. Kalaiselvi said APCTT’s network spanning 53 member states and nine associate states had enabled participation from delegates of nine countries, underscoring the importance of cross-border collaboration.
She called for responsible research and urged that the outcomes of the conclave be assessed in measurable terms to guide future initiatives.
