Why in the news?

  • The Union Education Minister of India inaugurated India’s first overseas Atal Innovation Centre at IIT Delhi–Abu Dhabi campus during his UAE visit.

First Overseas Atal Innovation Centre

  • What is it?: A premier innovation hub established outside India under the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM).
  • Focus Area: Key areas of focus included opening more Indian curriculum schools to serve the diaspora, promoting two-way student exchanges from school level upwards, curriculum development, teacher exchange programs, mutual recognition of qualifications, and alignment with new education policy priorities.
  • Significance:
    • It’s the first time an AIC is located outside India, so it represents a geographic expansion of India’s innovation ecosystem.
    • This strengthens India-UAE educational, research, and innovation ties- helps in sharing knowledge, talent, and tech across borders.
    • It gives UAE students/local innovators access to India’s innovation frameworks, and vice versa, enabling cross-border start up building, collaboration, exposure to global markets.
    • It aligns with India’s goals under AIM, and also its international policy of deepening cooperation in education & technology.

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)

  • What is it?: It is the Government of India’s flagship initiative to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in the country and was set up in 2016.
  • Objective: To create and promote an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship across the country at school, university, research institutions, MSME and industry levels.
  • Implementing Agency
    • NITI Aayog
    • All the initiatives of AIM are currently monitored and managed systematically using real-time MIS systems and dynamic dashboards.
  • Components of AIM: Atal Tinkering Labs, Atal Incubation Centres, Atal New India Challenge, Mentor of Change Program, Atal Community Innovation Centre and Atal Research & Innovation for Small Enterprises (ARISE)