A number of students of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, have countered the objection raised by the Ambedkar-Periyar-Phule Study Circle to the collaboration of the institutions with Israeli universities.
The group calling itself IITB for Bharat said "IIT, Bombay, is globally known for its scientific excellence, research and international collaborations that have propelled India to the forefront of technological advancement. Over the years, IITB has partnered with institutions worldwide, including Israeli universities, in fields such as defence, agriculture and AI. These collaborations have led to significant breakthroughs that have benefited both the nations."
The IITB for Bharat group said "recently a small group of students/staff called for boycott of collaboration with Israeli universities. This group is majorly from the humanities and social sciences department who are not involved in core scientific and technological research that defines the reputation of IITs." "It is disturbing to see how these students, who contribute little to IIT's core research, are misusing the IIT tag to promote their personal beliefs," the IIT B for Bharat group added.
It observed that collaborating with Israeli institutions is crucial for IIT Bombay's research and innovation. Limiting collaborations on political grounds weakens our commitment to advancing knowledge for societal benefit. Many IIT Bombay students are already pursuing their post-doctoral research in Israeli universities."
