Thiruvananthapuram: The eighth Regional Consultative Meeting on “Ease of Doing Research and Development (R&D)” was organised by NITI Aayog at the National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS), Thiruvananthapuram, on October 30-31, 2025. The event brought together vice-chancellors, institutional heads, and officials from scientific ministries for extensive discussions on strengthening India's R&D ecosystem.

Prof. N.V. Chalapathi Rao, Director, NCESS, welcomed participants and stressed the importance of a supportive environment for innovation. Prof. Vivek Kumar Singh from NITI Aayog introduced the ROPE Framework—Removing Obstacles, Promoting Enablers—to address institutional and policy challenges while promoting collaboration and flexibility in research.

Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, suggested leveraging retired scientists' expertise, enhancing the University-Industry-Government linkages, fostering data sharing, and improving science communication for societal impact.

Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog, emphasized that the ease of doing R&D depends on both internal governance and external regulatory factors.

Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said that facilitating R&D aligns with improving citizens' ease of living and stressed regionally driven innovation for inclusive national growth.

The two-day meeting concluded with a renewed commitment to building an efficient and collaborative R&D ecosystem in India.