Chennai: India has established four National-level Advanced Analytical and Technical Assistance Institute (SATHI) Centers and 15 Regional Advanced Analytical Instrumentation Facility (SAIF) Centers to strengthen its research infrastructure.

These facilities, equipped with core analytical instruments, are pivotal in advancing scientific research and innovation.

The SATHI Centers are hosted at IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, BHU Varanasi, and IIT Hyderabad, while the SAIF Centers are spread across various states.

Collectively, they analyze approximately 1,00,000 samples annually, serving 32,000 users and contributing to over 2,200 research publications each year.

Institutions under the SATHI program are selected based on metrics such as research quality, NIRF rankings, and academic profile. While the government continues to support existing SAIF centers, no new notifications have been issued for their expansion.

India's Department of Science and Technology (DST) has also fostered international collaboration by supporting bilateral R&D projects with countries like the USA, Japan, Germany, and Australia, among others.

The DST's National Initiative for Development and Use of New Inventions Fund (NIDHI) further promotes innovation by establishing over 180 Industrial Protection Centers in educational and research institutions nationwide.

These initiatives have significantly bolstered India's science and technology sector, driving research, innovation, and human resource development.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh shared these updates in a written reply to the Lok Sabha today.