Atal Innovation Mission under NITI Aayog launched the first State Innovation Mission in Tripura, marking a significant move to institutionalise innovation and entrepreneurship within the State’s long term development framework.
The State Innovation Mission is part of the approved AIM 2.0 programme under NITI Aayog’s State Support Mission and is designed as a structured institutional mechanism to help States and Union Territories build robust, inclusive and context specific innovation ecosystems aligned with national priorities and local strengths.
The launch event was held at the Hapania International Exhibition Centre in Agartala in the presence of Manik Saha, Chief Minister of Tripura; Suman Bery, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog; Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State; and V K Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog.
Addressing the gathering, Manik Saha outlined Tripura’s vision for innovation led growth under the State Innovation Mission. He announced that the Mission would be institutionalised under the Tripura Institution for Transformation. As part of the rollout, T NEST Tripura Nurturing Entrepreneurship and Startups was inaugurated as a dedicated incubation and innovation facility to support startups and promote Make from Tripura solutions.
Innovation Centres will be established in all eight districts of the State and linked to T NEST to promote innovation among women and tribal communities. In addition, one of India’s first District Innovator Fellowships will be launched to identify and nurture grassroots innovators through structured lifecycle support.
Manik Saha also announced that Tripura would introduce a State AI Policy aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision of responsible and inclusive artificial intelligence. He further revealed plans to establish an AI City in Agartala with support from leading global technology enablers, positioning the State as a future ready hub for AI driven innovation and governance.
Through the State Innovation Mission, Atal Innovation Mission will work closely with the Government of Tripura to design and implement a long term innovation and entrepreneurship strategy aligned with the State’s economic priorities, sectoral strengths and development goals. The Mission aims to strengthen the innovation ecosystem through capacity building, policy support, partnerships, peer learning and programmatic interventions across the innovation lifecycle.
Jitendra Singh described Atal Innovation Mission as a visionary initiative conceptualised by Narendra Modi and said it has delivered tangible outcomes over the past decade while shaping India’s innovation roadmap. He noted that the transition from the Planning Commission to NITI Aayog, along with the creation of AIM, marked a shift from traditional planning to innovation led development. He said the launch of the State Innovation Mission in Tripura demonstrates how States can leverage the AIM framework to unlock local potential and emerge as engines of national growth.
Deepak Bagla, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, said the State Innovation Mission reflects the Prime Minister’s vision of building an innovation led Aatmanirbhar Bharat. He stated that empowering States to lead innovation in their own context ensures that talent from every district, classroom and community contributes to national growth, making India’s innovation journey inclusive and action oriented.
The State Innovation Mission will also focus on strengthening innovation education and entrepreneurial exposure from the school level, while enabling startups and innovators to access infrastructure, mentorship and funding support beyond conventional risk thresholds. The framework emphasises inclusion, regional balance and collaboration among government, academia, industry and civil society.
The launch in Tripura follows sustained engagement between AIM and the State over the past year and signals a broader strategy to partner with States and Union Territories in advancing innovation led development towards the national goal of Viksit Bharat 2047.
