Kanpur: Chief MinisterYogi Adityanathon Wednesday underlined the need for stronger collaboration between industry and academia to position India as a global hub of technology and sustainable development.The CM said, “Industry-academia collaboration today is linked to solving global challenges and building a Viksit and Atmanirbhar Bharat.” He was addressing the Samanvay industry-academia engagement programme at IIT Kanpur. Highlighting the event’s theme, ‘Igniting Ideas. Accelerating Innovation’, the CM said discussions on Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, and Sustainability would not only advance innovation but also directly improve citizens’ quality of life. Tracing India’s economic trajectory, Adityanath noted that while India contributed 25% to global GDP until the 17th century, this fell to 2% by 1947. He credited recent reforms for propelling India to the world’s fourth-largest economy, with the potential to rise to the third position within two years. Praising IIT Kanpur’s role in technology over six decades, he urged it to become the hub of India’s first Deep-Tech India 2025 model, for which land has already been allotted.He also sought the institute’s support in strengthening cyber security, pointing out that Uttar Pradesh now has cyber police stations in all 75 districts and a State Cyber and Forensic Institute.The CM said Uttar Pradesh had overcome its “BIMARU” image and is now the country’s second-largest economy, thanks to better law and order, investment inflows, and infrastructure. He cited examples of transformation in Bundelkhand, where tap water has reached every home and farm incomes have grown tenfold.He also highlighted record plantation of 240 crore saplings in eight years, confirmed by the Forest Research Institute as increasing forest cover.Yogi called on industries to reinvest in innovation rather than focusing solely on profit. He recalled IIT Kanpur’s role during the COVID-19 pandemic and its contributions to the Defence Corridor and Med-Tech Centre, stressing that coordinated efforts would restore India’s global leadership. Cabinet minister Rakesh Sachan, IIT Kanpur director Prof Manindra Agarwal, TCS CTO Dr Harry Queen, and deputy director Prof Brajbhushan were present at the event.