| Posted: June 15, 2008 |
Canada and India announce new joint science and technology initiatives |
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(Nanowerk News) The Honourable David Emerson, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics, and the Honourable Kapil Sibal, India’s Union Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, today announced the launch of 10 new Canada-India science and technology (S&T) joint initiatives worth $17 million.
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“Our government understands the importance of establishing international research partners and the critical role science and technology play in the new economy,” said Minister Emerson. “These joint projects will enhance the collaboration between our scientists and commercialize their discoveries.”
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Eight of the initiatives are joint research and development projects, and two are partnership-development activities. The Canadian portion of both projects and partnerships is funded through the International Science and Technology Partnerships Program and is delivered by International Science and Technology Partnerships Canada (ISTPCanada), an arm’s-length organization.
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“International Science and Technology Partnerships Canada’s mission is to build productive partnerships and today’s announcement is the result of close collaboration between officials in Canada and India,” added Henri Rothschild, President and Chief Executive Officer of ISTPCanada.
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“We are grateful that both governments have made science and technology a priority, and we know that these agreements will benefit business-to-business relations and, ultimately, overall economic, trade and political relations. These projects form the basis of the networking opportunities that lead to strong research linkages with high potential for commercial success.”
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The joint activities will lead to an increase of commercially viable research and development initiatives, and will assist in the organization of scientific seminars, conferences and workshops.
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Canada and India S&T relations have made good progress at the federal, provincial, academic and private-sector levels since the signing of an overarching agreement on science and technology cooperation in November 2005. In addition to India, Canada has S&T agreements with five other countries and the European Union.
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The S&T agreement with India is now one of the most active partnerships between the two countries. Areas of cooperation under the Agreement include biotechnology, health research, medical devices, nanoscience and nanomedicine, sustainable and alternate energy and environmental technologies, information and communications technology, and earth sciences and disaster management. In March 2008, aerospace, biopharmaceuticals, photonics and synchrotron science were added to the list.
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