The proceedings report of the 2026 edition of Raisina Science Diplomacy Initiative (SDI), titled “Bridging Science and Statecraft”, was launched by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, along with Dr (Mrs.) Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, office of PSA; Prof. G. Rangarajan, Director, IISc, Prof. (Vijay) K VijayRaghavan, NCBS and former Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India; Dr Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology; Dr Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, Chief Executive Officer, Anusandhan National Research Foundation; Dr Samir Saran, President, Observer Research Foundation; and Prof. Tanusri Saha Dasgupta, S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences. Drawing on deliberations from the inaugural 2026 edition of the Raisina Science Diplomacy Initiative, the report examines the changing role of science diplomacy from a tool of soft power into a core governance imperative. It underscores the need for frameworks that balance scientific openness with strategic autonomy, respond to the growing influence of emerging and dual-use technologies, and strengthen multilateral cooperation in an era of rapid technological progress. The Raisina Science Diplomacy Initiative (SDI) was jointly launched by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), and the Ministry of External Affairs, India, under the aegis of the Raisina Dialogue 2026 in New Delhi. The inaugural edition convened nearly 80 global scientists, diplomats, policymakers, and innovators to exchange emerging perspectives on the future of science diplomacy. Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/dT_MQQc4 Rudra Chaudhuri | B. Chagun Basha | Arnav Bhasin | Animesh Jain | Pulkit Mohan |