Press Release

January 20, 2025

Nishith Desai Associates and Pan IIT Alumni India signs Memorandum to study and explore Horizon Technologies under Sprinting to the Future of Law series

Mumbai, 20 January, 2025 – In a groundbreaking collaboration, Nishith Desai Associates (“NDA”), a leading international research-based law firm, and Pan IIT Alumni India (“PanIIT”), a global network of accomplished IIT alumni, are delighted to announce their partnership to study and host academic events under the series titled “Sprinting to the Future of Law”.

Under Sprinting to the Future of Law Series, lawyers and technologists at NDA will collaborate with IIT alumni and subject experts to study emerging technologies that are expected to shape the world we live in over the next 10-15 years. These include innovations such as Cyborgs, Digital Twins, Hoverbikes, and Space Internet, all of which are expected to play different roles in driving the next Industrial Revolution (4.0). While AI is a transformative force today, this collaboration seeks to study technologies that lie beyond the current horizon.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was formally signed during the PanIIT World of Technology Global Summit held on January 17–19, 2025, at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai. The MoU was signed by Dr. Nishith Desai, Founder of NDA, and Debashish Bhattacharyya, Chairman of PanIIT Alumni India, in the esteemed presence of Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Railways; Jayant Sinha, former Minister of State for Civil Aviation; Sharad Saraf, Chairman at Technocraft Industries and Chairperson of IIT Bombay’s Board of Governors; and Raj Nair, Chairman of Avalon Consulting and distinguished IIT Bombay alumnus.

As part of the summit’s proceedings, NDA and PanIIT published a jointly authored knowledge paper titled “Horizon Technologies”. This paper a comprehensive analysis of emerging technologies, their applications, and the underlying innovations driving them, India’s contributions to these advancements and the critical legal, regulatory, and tax frameworks required to facilitate their growth and adoption.

Commenting on the partnership, Dr. Nishith Desai, said:

“We are thrilled to partner with Pan IIT Alumni India. Emerging technologies are reshaping industries at an unprecedented pace, and it is imperative to develop legal and regulatory frameworks that support innovation while ensuring governance.”

This partnership represents more than a collaboration; it is a vision for the future. This partnership lays the foundation for collaborative research to examine the wider impact of horizon technologies on global industries. By bringing together the expertise of NDA and Pan IIT, we aim to equip stakeholders with forward-looking solutions.

The Sprinting to the Future of Law series serves as a platform to explore the intersection of technology, law, and society. For further information about the series, visit: https://sprintingseries.com/.