India Research Tour 2025 Flagged Off to Champion Ethics, Inclusion, and Open Access

The India Research Tour 2025—one of the nation’s most dynamic initiatives to promote ethics, inclusion, and innovation in research—was formally flagged off by Union Minister of State for Women and Child Development, Smt. Savitri Thakur, at the Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi. Organized by Springer Nature in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, this year’s edition marks a major stride in connecting academia, policymakers, and research institutions across India.

Promoting Research Integrity and Inclusivity

Now in its third edition, the India Research Tour 2025 will travel across 29 premier institutions spanning 15 cities and 7 states, engaging researchers, educators, and students on the future of ethical scholarship and equitable access to knowledge. The tour focuses on Open Access (OA), research integrity, diversity and inclusion, and ethical publishing practices, forming part of India’s broader vision of democratizing education and fostering a responsible research ecosystem.

Addressing the audience at the inaugural event, Smt. Savitri Thakur reaffirmed the Government of India’s commitment under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to empowering women and children through education, knowledge, and innovation. She highlighted that initiatives such as the India Research Tour create vital platforms for promoting ethical scholarship, empowering women researchers, and bridging the gap between policy and academia.

“Empowering women researchers and ensuring ethical, inclusive access to research opportunities are essential to building an equitable knowledge economy. The India Research Tour exemplifies the Government’s mission to strengthen academic integrity and foster inclusive innovation for a Viksit Bharat,” said Smt. Thakur.

Focus on Gender Equality and Safe Research Environments

The Minister also underlined the Ministry’s continued efforts to create safe, inclusive, and opportunity-rich environments for women scholars across universities and research organizations. She appreciated Springer Nature and ICSSR for ensuring that the tour includes critical sessions on gender equality in research, ethical publication practices, and the Her Research, Our Future initiative—an effort to elevate women’s voices and leadership in academia and policymaking.

Participation of Global and National Research Leaders

The event was attended by several eminent dignitaries, including Mr. Frank Vrancken Peeters, CEO of Springer Nature; Mr. Venkatesh Sarvasiddhi, Managing Director of Springer Nature India; and Prof. Dhananjay Singh, Member Secretary, ICSSR. All speakers emphasized the importance of collaboration between international publishers, Indian institutions, and policymakers to ensure that Indian research achieves greater global impact while upholding the highest standards of integrity.

Mr. Peeters highlighted that India has become one of the most vibrant and fast-growing research hubs in the world. He noted that the Research Tour offers a valuable opportunity for capacity-building, policy exchange, and dialogue around open science, AI in publishing, and responsible research conduct.

Visiting India’s Premier Institutions

This year’s itinerary includes prestigious universities and research hubs such as IIT Kharagpur, IIT Kanpur, IIT Guwahati, Maulana Azad Medical College (New Delhi), IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, and IIM Bodh Gaya. At each stop, interactive workshops and panel discussions will engage participants in dialogues on research transparency, AI-driven publishing ethics, open-access dissemination, and gender-responsive academic ecosystems.

Four Core Pillars of India Research Tour 2025

1. Open Access and ONOS: Promoting Open Access publishing and raising awareness about One Nation, One Subscription (ONOS)—India’s national effort to make academic research universally accessible.

2. Research Integrity and AI in Publishing: Encouraging transparent, ethical practices and exploring how Artificial Intelligence can support integrity in peer review, data validation, and publication ethics.

3. Diversity, Inclusion, and Gender Empowerment: Featuring the Her Research, Our Future initiative, this pillar seeks to amplify the contributions of women and underrepresented groups in academia.

4. Alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Advancing global goals through democratized access to scientific knowledge and by promoting research that supports sustainable societal progress.

Empowering India’s Knowledge Ecosystem

The India Research Tour 2025 reflects India’s growing leadership in advancing open science, research ethics, and inclusion in academia. By bringing together national institutions, global publishers, and thought leaders, it aims to nurture a culture of trust, integrity, and equal opportunity within the research community.

As India moves toward its vision of Viksit Bharat, initiatives like this will play a defining role in ensuring that knowledge creation is inclusive, transparent, and globally impactful—strengthening India’s position as a leader in the future of ethical, accessible research.