Day 2 of CII’s flagship India Innovation Summit spotlights Karnataka’s leadership in AI-led R&D, future-ready skills, and industry-academia collaboration to propel “Viksit Bharat@2047”
NFAPost, Bengaluru: The 21st edition of the Confederation of Indian Industry’s (CII) flagship India Innovation Summit – CII INNOVERGE 2025 concluded today at The Taj West End, Bengaluru, with resounding calls for stronger collaboration between government, academia, and industry to drive India’s next phase of innovation-led growth. The two-day summit focused on AI-led R&D, future-ready skills, and advanced manufacturing as key pillars shaping the nation’s technological and economic transformation.
Delivering the Special Address, Dr. Selvakumar S, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Commerce & Industries, Government of Karnataka, underscored the state’s pivotal role in strengthening India’s innovation ecosystem.
“Karnataka is at the forefront of India’s innovation journey, transforming talent into intellectual property,” he said. “With over 400 R&D centres, AI and Data Science initiatives, and Industry 4.0 programs for SMEs, we are fostering homegrown solutions and extending innovation beyond Bengaluru to Hubballi, Mysuru, Mangaluru, and Belagavi through strong public-private partnerships.”
Dr. Selvakumar emphasized that Karnataka’s progressive policies, investments in technology infrastructure, and robust academic ecosystem have made it a cornerstone of India’s innovation landscape.
Building a Future-Ready Skill Ecosystem
In a keynote on skill development, Mr. Manoj Kumar Meena, IAS, Secretary, Department of Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood, Government of Karnataka, outlined the state’s holistic approach to nurturing a workforce ready for emerging industries.
“Through the Karnataka Skill Policy 2025–2032, we are connecting education, skilling, and employment in a unified framework,” he said. “With initiatives like the AI-driven Skill Connect Portal, industry-led ITIs under the PM Setu scheme, and programs such as Nanavritti Nanna Ika and CM Kaushalya Karnataka Yojana, we’re making skilling aspirational, inclusive, and aligned with green, digital, and creative industries.”
“Partnership is the Future of Leadership”
Mr. Kamal Bali, Chairman, CII INNOVERGE 2025 and President & Managing Director, Volvo Group India, in his opening address, called for a shift in mindset—from competition to collaboration.
“Partnership is the future of leadership,” he stated. “To become a product-first nation, India must increase R&D investment, accelerate productisation, and scale AI-driven solutions across supply chains and clean-energy systems. That transition depends on transparency and trust between industry, academia, and government.”
His remarks set the tone for a day dedicated to co-creation and collaborative innovation as the cornerstone of India’s economic future.
Harnessing Karnataka’s Competitive Edge
Echoing similar sentiments, Mr. Rabindra Srikantan, Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council 2025–26 and Managing Director, ASM Technologies Ltd, highlighted the demographic advantage and innovation potential of India’s youth.
“With our talent and innovation ecosystem, India can lead the world in AI and advanced manufacturing,” he noted. “CII INNOVERGE 2025 showcases how partnerships across industry, academia, and government can harness these strengths to build a self-reliant, AI-powered, and inclusive Karnataka.”
Adding to this, Mr. Guruprasad Mudlapur, Vice Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council 2025–26 and President, Bosch Group in India, stressed the importance of execution at scale.
“Karnataka’s competitive edge lies in collaborative execution,” he said. “When government, industry, and academia align on skilling, digitisation, and cluster investments, we can convert pilots into widescale adoption, strengthen MSME competitiveness, and expand regional innovation hubs beyond Bengaluru.”
Innovation and Strategy in Modern Warfare
In one of the day’s most thought-provoking sessions, a fireside discussion titled “Innovation and Strategy in Warfare – Operation Sindoor”, Maj Gen Ravi Murugan (Retd), PVSM, AVSM, explored the evolving relationship between technology and defence.
“Technology has always been — and remains — the key driver of the battlefield,” he said. “India’s defence innovation must be fuelled by curiosity, data-driven learning, and rapid advancements in manufacturing to maintain strategic superiority.”
A Collective Vision for “Viksit Bharat@2047”
Day 2 of CII INNOVERGE 2025 reaffirmed India’s innovation momentum and the collaborative spirit driving its transformation into a global technology and manufacturing hub. The discussions across the summit underlined the shared vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 — a future where India leads the world through knowledge, innovation, and inclusive growth.
The summit witnessed participation from over 150 industry CXOs, policymakers, and academic leaders. Key participating organizations included Volvo Group, Bosch Ltd, Infosys Ltd, Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd, Hitachi Energy India Limited, ASM Technologies Ltd, 3M India Ltd, Maini Group, ITC Hotels, and Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL) among others. Welingkar Institute of Management served as the academic partner, showcasing thought leadership and innovation-led research.
As CII INNOVERGE 2025 concluded, one message resonated clearly: India’s innovation future will be built not by isolated excellence, but by collective intelligence — powered by AI, guided by skill, and sustained by collaboration.
