Lok Sabha Question No. 3934 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-19
Subject: Foreign Collaboration in Research and Innovation
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Sudheer Gupta, Rajendra Dhedya  Gavit, Chandra Sekhar Sahu, Bidyut Baran Mahato, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Shrirang Appa Barne

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3934

## ANSWERED ON 19/03/2021

## FOREIGN COLLABORATION IN RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

3934.  SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI RAJENDRA DHEDYA GAVIT:

SHRI CHANDRA SEKHAR SAHU:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

Will  the  Minister  of  SCIENCE  AND  TECHNOLOGY वान  और ौयोगक मंी be pleased to state:

- (a)      whether  the  India-EU  joint  steering  Committee  on  Science  and Technology  has  agreed  to  develop  and  adopt  a  long  term  strategic
- perspective for India-EU collaboration in research and innovation;
- (b)     if so, the details of the issues discussed and the benefits likely to accrue to each side therefrom;
- (c)    whether the Government has allocated funds for implementation of various such projects and if so, the details in this regard; and
- (d)      the steps taken/being taken by the Government for cooperation
- in research and innovation with other countries?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE; MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

वाय और परवार कयाण मंी , वान और ौयोगक मंी और पृवी वान मंी डॉ . हष वधन

(a) & (b)     Yes Sir.  Both sides agreed  to work out cooperation in the areas  of   water,  environment,  renewable  energy,  energy  efficiency, health, sustainable agri-food processing, Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) in particular, cyber-physicalsystems (CPS),  including  Artificial  Intelligence  and  robotics;  circular economy  and  resource  efficiency  (waste-to-energy;  plastics;  etc.); electric mobility;  earth, ocean and atmospheric sciences.

The  two  sides  reiterated  their  commitment  to  human  capital development,  including  researchers'  training  and  mobility,  based  on mutual interests and reciprocal promotion of each other's equivalent programmes, aiming at a more balanced flow of researchers between

Europe and India.

The  likely  benefits  from  this  collaboration  include  co-creation and co-development of new knowledge, process or prototype development through research & development, joint scientific publications,  manpower  training,  IP  generation  through  collaboration and; application of the results of such cooperation to their economic and social benefit.

- (c) No specific fund has been allocated for India-EU research collaboration.  However, the joint research and innovation action such as funding joint Research & Development projects, workshops, training  etc  would  be  supported  from  the  available  budget  of  the Ministry.
- (d) DST is able to strategically leverage 'International collaborative advantage' by building chosen international alliances  and  partnerships  with  select  countries,  regional  and multilateral  entities,  and  other  International  S&T  Organizations. International S&T programs of cooperation is active with more than 46 countries including dedicated programs for Africa, ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China,  South  Africa),  and  neighboring  countries.  The  joint  activities include dissemination of information and networking through bilateral workshops,  symposiums  and  exhibitions;  Bilateral  advanced  schools and training programs including participation of young student researchers in international meets; Bilateral, multilateral and regional Research  &Development  joint  projects  including  multi-institutional networked  projects.  Industrial  and  applied  Research  &  Development projects involving industry participation were implemented with Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Russia, Spain, South Korea, Sweden and USA. A dedicated fund for Industrial Research & Development programme has been created with Israel. Also, participation  of  Indian  Researchers  has  been  facilitated  in  Mega projects for basic scientific research.

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