Working with leading Indian technology institutes, the Vietnamese delegation learned about the university autonomy model, financial mechanisms, and how to build a startup ecosystem and develop core technologies.
During the visit of General Secretary and President To Lam to India, on May 5th, the delegation of the Steering Committee 57 and the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam held working sessions at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) and the I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics (IHFC) of the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. The meetings focused on finding specific models to bridge the gap between academic research and product commercialization.
IIT Madras is one of India's leading resource-efficient training and research institutions, renowned for its "low investment, high returns" approach. According to the Institute's representatives, government funding currently accounts for approximately 30% of total investment, with the remainder coming from tuition fees (10-15%) and service and consulting activities (25-35%).
Last year, the IIT Madras ecosystem generated around 475 patents and 110 startups, based on a platform of over 500 deep-tech startups with a total valuation of approximately 530 billion rupees (nearly 6 billion USD).
Here, the Steering Committee 57 held in-depth discussions on financial mechanisms, university autonomy, and the direction of cooperation in developing a core technology (deep-tech) startup ecosystem. Both sides agreed to promote exchange programs, academic exchanges, and collaborative entrepreneurship training to gradually form a common startup model between the two countries.
Minister of Science and Technology Vu Hai Quan (left) working with representatives from the I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics. Photo: MST.
Meanwhile, the I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics (IHFC) is considered one of the successful models of a state-funded center leading strategic technology in India. Operating as a non-profit organization, it plays a crucial bridging role between the government, research institutions, and private businesses. During the meeting, the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology gained in-depth knowledge of IHFC's comprehensive support ecosystem, from research and development (R&D) and startup incubation to high-level human resource training.
The center's highlight is its Cobotics division – a line of collaborative robots designed to work safely alongside humans to increase productivity in strategic sectors. As of early 2026, IHFC has achieved stable operational results with over 60 ongoing R&D projects, supporting a network of 50 startups and directly training approximately 75,000 individuals. The center's core technologies currently span a wide range, from healthcare with remote surgery systems and smart agriculture with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), to community support solutions such as smart glasses for the visually impaired.
Highly appreciating IHFC's flexible operating model, the delegation noted that Vietnam could study applying this approach to key high-tech zones. Establishing a similar bridging center would optimize research resources from universities while creating a favorable environment for technology testing for large industrial corporations investing in Vietnam. This is considered a necessary step in enhancing technological self-reliance in the nation's strategic infrastructure projects.
To realize the potential for cooperation, Minister of Science and Technology Vu Hai Quan proposed three key directions for forming a regional innovation network. First, the parties need to organize joint discussions and workshops between major university incubators from Singapore, South Korea, Japan, India, and Vietnam to share operational and management experiences.
Simultaneously, both sides will connect the startup ecosystem, promoting linkages between innovation centers, businesses, and startups. Furthermore, coordination in entrepreneurship training and the development of high-tech human resources will be emphasized to form common startup models among countries in the region.
These guidelines are expected to create a solid foundation for Vietnam to master strategic technologies and strongly promote the national innovation process.
General Secretary and President To Lam is on a state visit to India from May 5-7. This is the first time the General Secretary and President has visited India in his new capacity, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
Luu Quy,
according to VnExpress.