CSIR signs Letter of Association with DAKSHIN-RIS on 3 November 2026 to boost science and technology cooperation for the Global South

Key facts

• The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and DAKSHIN – Global South Centre of Excellence at the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) signed a Letter of Association on 3 November 2026 to advance science, technology and innovation for the Global South.
• DAKSHIN aims to foster knowledge sharing among Global South countries by promoting sustainable, affordable and locally relevant solutions, and to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals through resource sharing, technology transfer and collaborative strategies.
• Key objectives of the Letter of Association include joint policy studies, engaging institutions to scale up development interventions, promoting capacity building and skill upgradation, and documenting development experiences to strengthen collective self-reliance among Global South countries.
• Professor Sachin Kumar Sharma, Director General of RIS, highlighted potential cooperation areas including healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, the blue economy and the digital economy.
• Dr. Rama Swami Bansal, Head of CSIR's International S&T Affairs Directorate, highlighted the potential for innovative models of collaborative partnerships to address shared developmental priorities.