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Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (OPSA) | Ministry of External Affairs
On January 8, 2026, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (OPSA) to the Government of India and the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) announced a strategic partnership to launch the inaugural Raisina Science Diplomacy Initiative (SDI). Scheduled to take place alongside the Raisina Dialogue from March 5–7, 2026, in New Delhi, this initiative creates a dedicated platform to deliberate on the critical intersection of science, technology, and global diplomacy.
The initiative aims to address the shifting imperatives of a multipolar world through several key focus areas:
Strategic Autonomy in Tech: Exploring how nations pursue science and technology diplomacy while maintaining sovereignty in an era of disruptive technologies.
Governing Emerging Tech: Navigating the regulatory and ethical challenges of disruptive innovations and ensuring equitable participation in global standards-setting.
Research Security & Control: Addressing contemporary issues such as technology control regimes and the security of international scientific collaborations.
Global South Perspectives: Elevating voices from India and the Global South to contribute renewed perspectives to the global discourse on technology governance.
What is ‘Science Diplomacy’ in the current strategic context? It is the use of scientific collaborations and technological exchanges to build international partnerships, influence global norms, and address common challenges like climate change or pandemics. In the current era of “strategic autonomy,” it specifically refers to a nation’s ability to leverage its domestic deep-tech and scientific prowess as a tool of foreign policy, ensuring it has a seat at the table when global rules for emerging technologies (like AI or Quantum Computing) are being written.
What is the Raisina Dialogue? The Raisina Dialogue is India’s premier annual forum on geopolitics and geo-economics, convened in New Delhi since 2016. Hosted by the Observer Research Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, it brings together heads of state, ministers, senior officials, scholars, and industry leaders from across the world. Modeled on platforms such as the Munich Security Conference and the Shangri-La Dialogue, Raisina has emerged as a key global convening space where strategic, economic, and security challenges are debated through an explicitly multipolar lens. Recent editions have drawn participation from over 120 countries, underscoring its growing international stature.
Policy Relevance
The SDI marks a formal integration of scientific expertise into India’s flagship geopolitical summit, signaling that technology is now a primary pillar of Indian statecraft.
Strategic Impact for India:
Seating at the High Table: By hosting this initiative, India positions itself as a central mediator in global technology governance, particularly in setting standards for disruptive technologies.
Empowering Deep-Tech Innovators: The initiative explicitly targets emerging scientific leaders and deep-tech startups, providing them a rare diplomatic platform to build international partnerships.
Multipolar Diplomacy: The focus on “strategic autonomy” suggests a policy shift toward building diverse, mission-oriented scientific alliances rather than relying on singular technology blocs.
Advocacy for the Global South: India aims to utilize this platform to ensure that international regulatory processes for technology remain inclusive and do not create new digital or scientific divides.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How will the Office of the PSA ensure that the ‘actionable insights’ generated from the SDI are formally integrated into the Ministry of External Affairs’ diplomatic training and negotiation strategies for international technology treaties?
Follow the full news here: Inaugural Raisina Science Diplomacy Initiative Announced