India and Russia have opened a new technology chapter with four agreements signed by the Indo-Russian “Innopraktika” Technology Hub at INNOPROM India 2026 in New Delhi. The biggest announcement is an India–Russia Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity, planned with Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod regional government and the RUSSOFT Software Developers Association.
The deal was unveiled as the first INNOPROM India ran at Bharat Mandapam from September 9 to 11, bringing government officials, investors and technology companies together. The new centre is expected to support joint AI projects, cybersecurity testing, startup incubation and academic exchanges, while the other agreements extend cooperation into healthcare AI, electronics and cross-border investment.
What Was Announced At INNOPROM India 2026?
The Indo-Russian “Innopraktika” Technology Hub, or IRITH, signed four cooperation agreements during the industrial exhibition. The Economic Times report on the four agreements said CEO and Executive Director Debjit Chakraborty represented the hub. India’s official PIB release on INNOPROM India 2026 described it as the first Indian edition of the Russian industrial exhibition and a platform for deeper manufacturing, technology and investment cooperation.
Key highlights include:
- An India–Russia AI and Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence involving IRITH, Nizhny Novgorod and RUSSOFT.
- A technology-and-investment partnership with the Russian Direct Investment Fund and India’s Panorama Electronics.
- A proposed Indian joint venture with NexTouch for equipment sales, manufacturing-linked activity and institutional projects.
- A healthcare AI cooperation pact with SberMedAI covering areas such as diagnostics and clinical decision support.
The event also sat beside a wider economic push. India and Russia have set a bilateral trade target of $100 billion by 2030, while the official INNOPROM India programme placed digital technologies, industrial IT, medicine and smart infrastructure among its main sectors.
What Will The India-Russia AI Centre Of Excellence Work On?
The centre will be hosted through the Autonomous Non-Commercial Organization “Gorky Tech” and has been described as a non-commercial collaboration. Its first track is company-to-company work. Indian and Russian MSMEs are expected to receive support for incubation, business links and technology partnerships that can move from early testing towards commercial projects.
The second track is an AI Sandbox built around the India–Russia Sovereign AI & Technology Trust Framework. The planned process covers onboarding, testing, benchmarking, responsible-AI evaluation and marketplace activation. In practical terms, companies could test AI systems against common technical, governance, and risk checks before pitching them to buyers or institutions.
Academic cooperation forms the third track. IIT Gandhinagar is among the institutions named for possible student and faculty exchanges, joint research and knowledge sharing. Earlier, IRITH’s official social update on the proposed AI partnership outlined a broader dual-location concept connecting New Delhi with the Nizhny Novgorod region, including proof-of-concept testing and startup support.
That gives the new centre a wider brief than simply building AI models. Cybersecurity, trusted infrastructure, validation standards, research links and small-business growth are all built into the plan.
What Do The Other Three Technology Agreements Cover?
The RDIF–Panorama–IRITH agreement aims to help Russian high-technology companies enter India and Indian companies explore Russia. Priority fields include AI, machine learning, computer vision, data analytics, medical technology, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, industrial digitalisation and smart infrastructure. RDIF is expected to bring investment expertise and its network, while Panorama will act as an Indian technology and business partner.
A separate agreement with NexTouch proposes a joint venture in India. The plan centres on promoting and selling NexTouch-branded equipment and pursuing government or institutional opportunities. That fits a broader localisation theme visible at INNOPROM, where Indian officials highlighted manufacturing partnerships, technology exchange and supply-chain cooperation.
The fourth pact brings SberMedAI into the picture. IRITH and the Russian healthcare-AI company will explore uses of artificial intelligence and information technology in healthcare, including diagnostics and clinical decision-making. Project details, timelines and commercial terms will require later agreements, so the announcement is a framework rather than a finished deployment plan.
For India, the timing is notable. The country is already expanding its own AI-centre network in agriculture, healthcare, sustainable cities and education. The government’s AI Centres of Excellence programme is separate from this bilateral project. The Russia-facing hub instead creates another route for research, startups and technology testing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the India–Russia AI Centre of Excellence?
It is a joint platform for AI, cybersecurity, research, startup incubation and bilateral technology cooperation.
Who is creating the new AI centre?
IRITH, Nizhny Novgorod’s government and RUSSOFT are working together to establish the proposed collaborative centre.
Will the centre work with Indian universities?
Yes, IIT Gandhinagar is named for student exchanges, faculty cooperation and joint research activities there.
What is the AI Sandbox expected to do?
It will test, benchmark and evaluate AI systems before adoption across participating technology ecosystems commercially.
What do the other three agreements focus on?
They cover technology investment, electronics-focused joint ventures and artificial intelligence applications across the healthcare sector.
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