Joint research plan agreed with India

INDIAN AND Irish scientists are to collaborate and co-fund science and technology research projects under an agreement finalised by the two governments during a visit by an Indian delegation of scientists and officials.

The agreement should see millions of euro in joint funding awarded to joint research teams from the two countries.

The agreement, which was first proposed in 2006 during an Irish trade delegation visit to India, was signed on Wednesday by Conor Lenihan, Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, and Dr Thirumalachari Ramasami, secretary, Indian Department of Science and Technology.

“In the area of information and communication technologies, both India and Ireland can bring a value to each other which we cannot reap separately,” said Dr Ramasami in an interview.

“Our interest is high-end science.”

According to the formal programme of co-operation between the countries, Indian and Irish researchers will be able to draw down matched funding from each country for approved projects in the areas of sustainable energy, medical sciences, information and communications technology and food science.

Dr Ramasami headed a delegation that includes scientists working on information and communications technologies, aerospace engineering, nano-science, biotechnology and chemical technology. It also includes the directors of three of India’s National Institutes of Technology.

The group has been in Ireland this week visiting universities and speaking with officials.

“What we have done today is something beyond the agreement alone,” said Dr Ramasami.

The visit “opened up the possibility of building new instruments and tools for a collaboration between Ireland and India,” he said, including bringing Irish scientists to India and sending Indian scientists to Ireland.

He said India was making a long-term commitment, and would be interested in significant projects extending beyond a five-year research horizon.

India has an existing agreement with the EU to jointly fund up to €10 million in research projects annually. India also has direct agreements with other countries for co-funded research, ranging from €12 million in Britain to €100 million in Germany.

The Indian department of science and technology funds 47 per cent of research in India in the science and technology areas, he said.

Dr Ramasami said India was also particularly interested in expanding possibilities for PhD students through partnerships with Irish institutions. Although India produces 700,000 graduates in engineering every year, only about 1,200 go on to do PhDs. But opportunities at Irish and Indian third- level institutions would also be further developed for undergraduates and post-graduates, including internships. Indian students coming to Ireland would be among the top 1 per cent of all Indian students, as the institutes of technology only accept the highest achievers, he said.