Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath emphasized the vital role of industry and academia working together to shape India’s technological future. He made this statement during the ‘Samanvay’ engagement program at IIT Kanpur.
Speaking to teachers, students, and industry leaders, Yogi Adityanath highlighted that collaboration between industry and educational institutions now goes beyond research and innovation. It’s directly linked to improving everyday life, solving global problems, and supporting sustainable development.
He discussed key topics like Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Sustainability, stating that focusing on these areas will boost India’s self-reliance and help the country become a global leader in technology and innovation.
Recalling India’s historic economic strength, the Chief Minister pointed out that India once contributed around 25% to the world’s GDP until the 17th century. However, during colonial rule, India’s share dropped sharply to just 2% by 1947.
Today, India is once again climbing the economic ladder. Yogi said, “In the last 11 years, India has risen to the fourth-largest economy in the world and will soon become the third. We aim to reach second place in the future.” His message focused on building a self-reliant, developed India.
Yogi praised IIT Kanpur, citing its important contributions over the past 60 years in emerging technologies like drone development. He also talked about Uttar Pradesh’s economic transformation. Back in 1947, UP contributed about 14% to India’s GDP, but by 2017, this had fallen to around 7-8% due to neglect and youth migration.
But the state’s fortunes are changing. In the past eight years, UP has become the country’s second-largest economy thanks to better security, increased investment, improved infrastructure, and good governance. The Chief Minister added that UP is making progress in many sectors.
UP is also active in achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yogi mentioned that UP was the first Indian state to hold a dedicated 36-hour session in its assembly to discuss SDG initiatives.
He shared successes from Bundelkhand, a region previously hit by droughts and migration. Today, households there have tap water, fields are irrigated, and investments are flowing into defense corridors at Chitrakoot and Jhansi.
On the environment, Yogi noted that the Forest Research Institute has acknowledged a rise in UP’s forest cover, showing the state’s commitment to sustainability.
Cybersecurity is another major focus. Yogi pointed out that Uttar Pradesh has significantly expanded its cyber police stations, from just two inactive units in 2017 to a cyber desk in every district, 1,500 police stations with cyber units, and a dedicated Cyber and Forensic Institute. Still, he said more work is needed and expressed willingness to collaborate with IIT Kanpur on strengthening cyber defense.
Overall, the Chief Minister stressed the importance of partnership between industry and educational institutions like IIT Kanpur to build a stronger, more self-reliant India.
