New Zealand, Karnataka explore innovation ties under PM’s Scholarship for Asia

A delegation from New Zealand’s innovation ecosystem met Karnataka IT‑BT Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday to explore collaboration under the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia (PMSA) programme, with discussions focusing on strengthening people‑to‑people ties and building long‑term institutional partnerships between Karnataka and New Zealand.

Kharge highlighted that the PMSA, funded by the New Zealand government and administered in partnership with Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao , is designed to deepen global partnerships and build capabilities in innovation, education, and leadership by enabling students, researchers, and professionals to undertake study, research, and experiential learning across Asia, including India. The programme typically involves customized learning experiences, workshops, collaborative projects, and exchanges between institutions in New Zealand and host countries.

The delegation included representatives from New Zealand’s research, technology, education, and innovation sectors. Kharge underscored Karnataka’s position as India’s fourth‑largest technology cluster and a leading hub for research and development, innovation, and Global Capability Centres (GCCs). “With more than 250 engineering colleges and a large network of higher education and research institutions, Karnataka is a natural destination for academic and industry collaboration,” he said.

Emphasizing technological collaboration, Kharge identified priority areas for joint work: “We are looking at cooperation in artificial intelligence, aerospace, climate and sensor technologies, agritech, and marine biotechnology .” He stressed that creating skill and market‑access corridors could help startups, researchers, and companies from both regions scale their solutions across global markets.

Kharge also pointed to Karnataka’s ‘DeepTech Decade’ roadmap and ongoing efforts to build a robust innovation ecosystem that attracts investment and talent. He urged the New Zealand delegation to work closely with the state government through its Global Innovation Alliance platform to sustain engagement with startups, academia, industry, and government bodies.

The delegation expressed interest in identifying specific collaboration areas and forming a working group to advance them. Both sides are exploring a formal collaboration framework, including a possible memorandum of understanding, the minister’s statement said.

This initiative follows broader India-New Zealand educational engagement, including recent high‑level visits and programmes aimed at strengthening bilateral ties in research, academic exchange, student mobility, and innovation partnerships.