IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation and Dialog Axiata PLC have agreed to work together in five areas covering AI, startups, research, skills and international knowledge sharing.
The partnership aims to connect international research and technical knowledge with local industries and universities.
The two organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on October 22. Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha attended the signing.
Five Areas of Technology Cooperation
- First, the partnership will focus on innovation and startup incubation. This can help connect new technology businesses with research and industry knowledge.
- Second, the two organisations will work on applied research and university laboratories. This will help link research work with practical industry needs and university projects.
- The agreement also covers AI and human-centric solutions. As a result, artificial intelligence will be one of the main technology areas covered by the partnership.
- The fourth area is industry skills and talent development. This aims to connect technical knowledge with the skills needed by businesses and the wider technology sector.
- Finally, the partnership will support international knowledge sharing. This will create more opportunities to share research, technical knowledge and experience between organisations and markets.
Partnership Links Research With Industry
The MoU was signed by Dr. M. J. Shankar Raman, CEO of IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation, and Supun Weerasinghe, Group Chief Executive and Executive Director of Dialog Axiata PLC.
The partnership brings together an Indian technology and research organisation with a major telecommunications company.
In addition, the agreement creates a link between research, universities and industry. This could help turn technical knowledge into practical business and technology opportunities.
During the event, High Commissioner Santosh Jha also met Dialog Axiata’s senior leadership.
Their discussions covered technology, trade, supply chains and trusted partnerships.
Meanwhile, the Indian High Commission said the agreement will further support technology and research and development cooperation between India and Sri Lanka.
For businesses, startups and universities, the five areas provide a clear direction for the partnership. They cover research, AI, startup support, industry skills and the sharing of international knowledge.
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Last modified: October 23, 2026
