Bengaluru, Karnataka, India: U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor on September 6 formally launched the inaugural cohort of the U.S.-India TRUST Fellowship, an initiative aimed at strengthening strategic technology cooperation and high-impact research partnerships between the United States and India.

The fellowship was launched during an event in Bengaluru held to mark 250 years of American Independence and celebrate the strength of the U.S.-India partnership. The launch formally marked the beginning of the fellows' collaborative research tenures in India.

Backed by private funding from Indian investor Kris Gopalakrishnan and entrepreneur Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, the fellowship will support up to 20 U.S.-based postdoctoral researchers and early-career faculty members undertaking collaborative research and development projects with leading Indian institutions.

The participating institutions include the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), the Indian Institute of Science Bengaluru (IISc Bengaluru) and Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE).

Gor said the initiative is intended to advance critical technologies while strengthening high-impact research partnerships between leading institutions in the United States and India.

The fellowship is part of the broader TRUST initiative — Transforming the Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technologies — which was established by U.S. and Indian leadership in February 2026.

Under the programme, fellows will participate in advanced research across areas including Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Semiconductors, Biotechnology, Defence, Energy and Space.

The fellowship will also provide comprehensive support to participating researchers, including a monthly stipend, research grants, round-trip airfare, accommodation, health insurance, visa assistance and logistical support.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said she was proud to support the TRUST fellowships, which she said would help build a stronger bridge between the United States and India in research and innovation.

The inaugural cohort marks a new phase in U.S.-India collaboration in strategic technologies, bringing researchers from both countries together through long-term academic and research partnerships