Indian Economy News

Atal Innovation Mission & IFCCI join hands to scale up Atal Tinkering Labs across India

The Indo-French Chamber of Commerce & Industry (IFCCI) and the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog, Government of India, formally signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) on September 19, 2025, marking a significant step in advancing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, digital literacy, and innovation-driven learning across India. The ceremony, held during the third Edition of IFCCI CSR Connect Day 2025 at the Embassy of France in New Delhi, was attended by over 100 participants, including Indian and French corporate leaders, diplomats, government officials, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) stakeholders. Ambassador of France to India, H.E. Mr. Thierry Mathou, commended IFCCI’s role in fostering impactful Indo-French partnerships for social development and highlighted the upcoming India-France Year of Innovation in 2026 as an opportunity to strengthen bilateral cooperation in technology and social progress.
The partnership aims to mobilise corporate social responsibility (CSR) support to enhance infrastructure, improve curriculum delivery, and deepen industry-school engagement through Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) programmes. Together, IFCCI, its member companies, and implementing partners will scale initiatives across government schools, focusing on technology-enabled education, critical thinking, hands-on experimentation, and teacher capacity building. Since 2023, IFCCI has executed 86 CSR projects impacting over 15,000 individuals, covering thematic areas such as education, healthcare, women's empowerment, livelihoods, and clean energy. Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, Mr. Deepak Bagla, noted that the collaboration will extend AIM’s reach, which has already impacted over 11 million student entrepreneurs, further empowering students and young innovators nationwide. Director General, IFCCI, Ms. Payal S. Kanwar, emphasised that the alliance will bridge industry and education, fostering sustainable innovation ecosystems and equipping India’s youth with 21st-century skills.

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