India's top science adviser has asked science and technology clusters to collaborate with deep tech start-ups and strive to become self-sustainable in the future. 

Referring to the recently-announced draft National Deep Tech Start-up Policy, Professor A K Sood, the principal scientific adviser to the government, has suggested that the clusters can effectively collaborate with the deep tech start-ups operating under this policy framework, according to an official statement. 

Sood was speaking at the first joint Science and Technology (S&T) Clusters' Meet in Rajasthan's Jodhpur. 

The meeting concluded on Friday. It was organised by the Jodhpur City Knowledge and Innovation Foundation (JCKIF) and hosted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Jodhpur. 

Launched in 2020, the City S&T Clusters is a flagship initiative of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, established on the recommendation of the Prime Minister's Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC). 

The initiative aims to tackle local challenges through science and technology interventions by bringing together academia, research and development institutions, industries, start-ups, and local governments.  

Currently, there are seven science and technology clusters operating in Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jodhpur, Pune, and the recently-established Northern Region Cluster in Chandigarh -- all working together to find solutions to regional issues through collaborative efforts, the statement said. 

In his keynote address, Sood highlighted that these clusters are a unique initiative focusing on the translational aspects of research. 

Taking note of the collective strength of the clusters, he highlighted their potential to address regional challenges through synergistic science and technology interventions.