TheIndia-EU joint steering committee on science and technology has agreed todevelop and adopt a long-term strategic perspectivefor India-EU collaboration in research and innovation at the 13thJoint Steering Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation meeting hostedby the European Commission recently.
The two sides appreciated the achievements under India–EU science,technology Innovation cooperation and decided to createan action-oriented agenda which can be implemented within the agreed timelineat the meeting co-chaired by Director-General for Research andInnovation of the European Commission (EC), Mr. Jean-Eric Paquet, on the EUside and Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST),Government of India, Professor Ashutosh Sharma.
Takinginto account the Joint Statement and the ‘EU-India Strategic Partnership: A Roadmapto 2025, adopted at the EU-India July Summit, both sides have shown keeninterest for possible cooperation on ICT, in particular, cyber-physical-systems(ICPS), including artificial intelligence and robotics, circular economy andresource efficiency (waste-to-energy; plastics; etc.), electric mobility andsustainable agri-food processing and so on.
Theimportant role of Mission Innovation to concentrate efforts on research andinnovation to accelerate the clean energy transition, necessary for a carbon-neutralplanet, was underlined, cooperation on health beyond Covid-19 pandemic areasthrough global fora was also reinforced. Both sides also underlined thecooperation on polar sciences and discussed future cooperation under HorizonEurope at the virtual meeting.
Thetwo sides reiterated their commitment to human capital development, includingresearchers’ training and mobility, based on mutual interests and reciprocalpromotion of each other’s equivalent programmes, aiming at a more balanced flowof researchers between Europe and India.
Indianside presented the key elements of new Science,Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP 2020), which aim to create a fit forpurpose, accountable research ecosystem promoting translational as well asfoundational research; indigenous development of technology, technologyindigenization; facilitating open Science; equity and inclusion.
TheIndian side proposed Implementation Arrangement (IA)for co-funding future joint projects under India-EU Science, Technology, andInnovation Cooperation to streamline the process of collaboration and toaddress certain issues on project evaluation, selection, funding, monitoring,and also IPR sharing/data sharing/materials/equipmenttransfer mechanism and so on.
During2014-2020, 42 collaborative projects amounting to a total of EUR ~157 Millionfunding (EUR 113 from H2020 & EUR 44 from Government of India) have beenfunded. The majority of these collaborations took place in the form of flagshipcalls on water, a new generation influenza vaccine, and smart gridscooperation. The mobility of researchers from both sides was significantlyincreased over the years, and cooperation among scientists and researchorganisations from India and Europe strengthened.
Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT),Government of India, Dr. Renu Swarup, Mr. Christophe Manet, Chargé d' Affairesa.i., Delegation of the European Union to India and the Debasish Prusty,Deputy Chief of the Mission in Brussels, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Varshney Head,International Cooperation DST, Ms. MariaCristina RUSSO, Director International Cooperation (DG R&I- EC) andother officials from different scientific Ministries/Departments (DST, MOES,DBT) also participated in the deliberations.
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