NTT DATA and IIT Jammu to establish AI CoE focused on climate resilience
NTT DATA and the Indian Institute of Technology Jammu (IIT Jammu) have partnered to establish an Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence (AI-CoE) at the institute, with a focus on climate resilience, locally relevant AI applications and technology innovation.
The proposed centre will explore how technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), digital twins, geospatial data, the Internet of Things (IoT) and edge computing can be applied to regional challenges, including floods, landslides, infrastructure monitoring and emergency response.
The initiative comes against the backdrop of Jammu and Kashmir’s geographical challenges, where mountainous terrain and river systems create risks related to flooding and landslides. Potential applications include flood monitoring and early-warning systems for the Tawi and Chenab river basins, as well as sensor-based approaches to identifying flood and landslide risks.
The partners will also examine how AI can support public services in the region, including through research into Indian languages such as Dogri. NTT DATA said its global Innovation Centre network would help connect IIT Jammu’s research capabilities with industry requirements and its wider technology ecosystem.
Four areas of AI research and development
The planned AI-CoE will organise its activities around four areas: secure and responsible AI, digital twins, physical AI, and research commercialisation.
Under secure and responsible AI, the centre will explore small and large language models, agentic AI and AI governance. Local-language AI research, including work involving Dogri, is expected to form part of efforts to improve access to digital services.
The digital twins programme will examine how virtual representations of physical environments and infrastructure can support monitoring, planning and decision-making. Potential applications include smart campuses, infrastructure management, environmental monitoring and disaster resilience.
Digital twins can combine data from sensors, geospatial systems and other sources to create a virtual representation of a physical asset or environment. This can help organisations monitor conditions, assess risks and evaluate possible scenarios before taking action in the physical world.
The physical AI focus will bring together AI, robotics, computer vision, IoT and edge computing. The technologies could be explored for infrastructure monitoring, autonomous systems, situational awareness and public safety.
The fourth area will focus on translating research into commercial applications. Through a proposed research commercialisation and startup lab, the partners aim to support intellectual property development, product creation and the formation of deep-tech startups.
Building AI skills and industry collaboration
Alongside research, the initiative will include a talent development programme for students, researchers and faculty members. Planned activities include industry projects, faculty engagement, fellowships, hackathons and practical exposure to AI, high-performance computing and edge computing.
The programme is intended to give participants opportunities to work on real-world challenges while developing technical skills relevant to industry requirements.
“AI’s greatest impact happens when it helps solve real problems for people and communities. Together with IIT Jammu, we will give researchers and students a pathway to turn promising ideas into practical solutions and commercial applications,” said Avinash Joshi, Executive Managing Director, India, NTT DATA.
Professor Manoj Gaur, Director, IIT Jammu, said the collaboration would bring the institute’s research and talent together with NTT DATA’s technology and industry expertise, creating opportunities to move research towards real-world applications.
The partnership also aims to explore use cases beyond Jammu and Kashmir, with the possibility of adapting successful solutions for other parts of India.
While the proposed centre brings together several areas of applied AI research, the announcement does not specify its investment, infrastructure requirements, operational timeline or the first projects to be taken up. Details of the proposed flood-monitoring and early-warning applications, including deployment plans and technology partners, have also not been disclosed.