New Delhi: The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India (Office of PSA) and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (EC-JRC) jointly hosted a groundbreaking online knowledge exchange session on Technology Foresight today. This first-of-its-kind event brought together 46 domain experts from India and Europe, focusing on cross-learning and knowledge-building in methodological approaches used in foresight exercises.
Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary at the Office of PSA, and H.E. Mr. Herve Delphin, Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union to India, delivered the inaugural remarks. Dr. Maini emphasized the critical role of the Office in providing science advice and highlighted the importance of the transdisciplinary nature of Technology Foresight in policy-making. She also mentioned the formation of a task force on technology foresight to strengthen domestic in-house capabilities. Ambassador Delphin spoke about how the knowledge exchange between India and the EU would elevate bilateral engagement through impactful joint initiatives.
The first segment featured presentations by European experts. Dr. Thomas Hemmelgarn, Head of Unit at the EU Policy Lab, discussed various foresight activities undertaken at the EU institutions. Dr. Anne-Katrin Bock, Team Leader & Senior Expert of the EU Policy Lab, detailed the processes for creating foresight documents and roadmaps. Dr. Antonia Mochan, Policy Analyst of the EU Policy Lab, presented methodologies, tools, and techniques used in technology forecasting exercises.
Indian perspectives were presented by Prof. Krishna Kumar Balaraman, Head of the Centre for Technology Foresight and Policy at IIT Jodhpur, who showcased contemporary examples of foresight in sectors such as telecommunication and FinTech. Prof. Gagandeep Kang, Director at Global Health, Gates Foundation, highlighted foresight’s importance in the Health sector. Prof. Urbasi Sinha of the Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru, emphasized its role in advancing Quantum technologies. Prof. Gufran Beig from the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru, shared foresight practices in Meteorology.
The session concluded with a dynamic discussion among the experts and summary remarks by Dr. Liliana Pasecinic, Deputy Head of Unit at the EC-JRC. Dr. Pasecinic reiterated the importance of these knowledge exchanges for advancing technology foresight capabilities. This session marks the beginning of a series of international knowledge exchange sessions aimed at enhancing the foresight ecosystem in India and expanding collaborations with international partners.