This was announced by the minister of state for science and technology, Bachi Singh Rawat on Monday at New Delhi, during the first expert group meeting on technoogy of the five-nation south and south-east Asian grouping, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand-Economic Cooperation (BIMST-EC).

While inaugrating the two day meeting of the BIMST-EC, the minister said that, the proposal for database would be part of an action plan for cooperation in technology sector.

He said India would also present a country paper prepared by the Department of Science and Technology which enumerates technologies which could be shared with other countries of the BIMST-EC. The paper proposes to widen the scope of the term technology to include science for cooperation among the grouping as science is necessary to support technolgy development and utilisation for commercial gain, the minister pointed out.

According to the minister, there was a need to formulate a cohesive action plan for technology cooperation within the grouping as till now technology flow among nations of the group had been limited and the region had been sourcing technology from the developed nations.

Emphasising the need for active participation of the industry, the minister called upon the private sector to be actively involved in the programmes of Economic Cooperation with the members of the group.