IIT Gandhinagar partners with IAIRO to strengthen AI research ecosystem

IIT Gandhinagar and the Indian AI Research Organisation (IAIRO) have entered into a strategic partnership to expand collaboration in artificial intelligence research, education, innovation, and talent development through a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The agreement aims to strengthen India's AI research ecosystem by supporting joint academic initiatives, collaborative research, and innovation-driven projects.

Both institutions will work together on AI-focused research, jointly seek research grants, and explore opportunities to develop AI infrastructure with external funding support.

As part of the collaboration, IITGN and IAIRO will jointly organize short-term courses, certificate programs, conferences, seminars, workshops, and other academic activities related to artificial intelligence.

The partnership will also promote academic exchange by enabling IITGN faculty and researchers to deliver lectures and training sessions for IAIRO scientists and engineers, while IAIRO experts will contribute to teaching, mentoring, and research activities at IITGN.

The MoU also creates opportunities for joint supervision of doctoral students, research internships, adjunct faculty appointments, and shared access to research infrastructure and computational facilities, subject to institutional policies.

"The Indian AI Research Organisation is a significant step towards enhancing India's AI research and innovation ecosystem. IAIRO is located in GIFT City, adjacent to IIT Gandhinagar and this collaboration is a natural opportunity to build each other’s strengths,” said Prof Rajat Moona, Director, IIT Gandhinagar.

“AI is already changing the game in sectors like healthcare, life sciences and drug discovery, and will continue to expand across sectors. We combine our complementary expertise in research, talent development and innovation to deliver meaningful outcomes that contribute to India’s growing AI capabilities,” added Prof Moona.

Prof Vimal Mishra, Dean, Research & Development at IIT Gandhinagar, said the partnership would leverage the strengths of both institutions to advance AI research and support national priorities.

“This partnership brings together complementary expertise and research strengths to advance AI research, foster innovation, nurture talent, and develop technologies that contribute to national priorities. By bringing together complementary expertise, research infrastructure, and talent, we aim to create opportunities for impactful research, advanced AI education, and the development of technologies that contribute to national priorities,” he added.

Dr Amit Sheth, Founding Director and CEO of IAIRO, said the collaboration would help bridge academic research with practical innovation while supporting the growth of Gujarat AI Valley.

“India's AI ambitions will be realized through strong partnerships that connect world-class research with real-world innovation. Our collaboration with IIT Gandhinagar reflects this vision by creating a platform where academic excellence, applied research, and industry engagement come together to accelerate AI development,” Dr Sheth added.

“As we continue building the Gujarat AI Valley ecosystem, this partnership will play an important role in nurturing talent, enabling breakthrough research, and strengthening India's position as a global AI innovation hub,” he said.

Prof Sanjay Chaudhary, Collaborations & Operations Lead at IAIRO, said the agreement establishes a framework for long-term cooperation across research, faculty exchanges, specialized AI programs, student engagement, and shared infrastructure.

"This MoU provides a practical framework for sustained collaboration between our institutions. The partnership is designed to create meaningful opportunities for learning and innovation, through joint research projects and faculty exchanges to specialized AI programs, student engagement, and shared research infrastructure. We look forward to translating this collaboration into impactful outcomes that benefit researchers, students, industry, and the broader AI ecosystem,” Prof Chaudhary added.