NEW DELHI, October 13, 2026 – Emphasizing the strengthening of bilateral scientific and technological ties, British Minister Jonathan Reynolds, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science, and Trade, called on Union Minister of State for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, in New Delhi on Monday. The high-level delegation engaged in extensive bilateral talks focusing on cooperation in space, civil nuclear energy, emerging technologies, and scientific research.
The Indian delegation, led by Dr. Jitendra Singh, included Prof. Umesh Waghmare, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), and Dr. Praveen Kumar Somasundaram, Adviser and Head of International Bilateral Cooperation. The UK delegation featured British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron and Amanda Brooks, Interim Permanent Secretary for the Department of Business, Innovation, Science, and Trade.
During the talks, Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted how India’s recent space-sector reforms have unlocked vast opportunities for private industry, technology developers, and start-ups. With approximately 800 space-technology start-ups currently operating in India, the Union Minister proposed enhanced connectivity between Indian and British tech start-ups and smaller enterprises to drive innovation, bolster supply chains, and expand cross-border commercial opportunities.
The discussion prominently featured civil nuclear energy, with Dr. Singh elaborating on India’s nuclear-sector reforms, including the recently introduced Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, 2025. Drawing parallels to the successful opening of the space sector, he noted that India is actively creating avenues for broader participation in nuclear technology development.
Both sides explored promising opportunities for India-UK collaboration in small modular reactors (SMRs) and advanced nuclear technologies to address growing industrial energy demands, electrification, and data-center power requirements. Furthermore, Dr. Singh spoke about leveraging India’s nuclear program beyond power generation, particularly in nuclear medicine and healthcare, inviting British expertise in life sciences to collaborate on biomedical research involving radioisotopes and cancer treatments.
The dialogue also encompassed emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum technologies, cyber-physical systems, and cybersecurity. Dr. Singh emphasized that AI is an essential tool for future development and mentioned that India is proactively exploring smaller-scale AI models suited to local requirements and resources. The ministers concluded the meeting by underscoring the critical need to secure these emerging technologies and address associated cybersecurity risks as they become deeply integrated into critical national infrastructure.
Published by True Roots Media Network