Biotechnology in agriculture, bio-fuel, climate change and energy security are top on the agenda of the European Union?s new offer for science and technology cooperation with India.
?I am confident that we are embarking on a new era in science and technology cooperation between the European Union and India. Our S&T cooperation agreement is about to be renewed for a further five years and we are about to announce new exciting opportunities for collaborative research, which may include biotechnology in agriculture, bio-fuel, climate change, energy security and computational material science. We will establish a road map of our strategic S&T cooperation for 2008 and beyond,? European Commission director-general Jose Manuel Silva Rodriguez said at press conference here on Wednesday.
He added the quality and the number of Indian participants in the early stage of the European Union?s seventh research framework programme was impressive.
Rodgriguez and his team would participate in the fourth EU-India science and technology cooperation steering committee meeting being hosted by the science and technology ministry in Delhi on Thursday. The meeting will discuss collaborative research in the fields of computational material sciences which will receive support of about 5 million euros (Rs 28 crore) from each side. It will also review progress on the renewal of the EU-India S&T cooperation agreement.
Scientists from the two sides will jointly work towards a common identified goal of developing high performance ceramics, structured composites and advanced materials capable of performing multiple roles. Intellectual property rights will be shared by scientists collaborating in the project. ?The potentially significant and mutual benefits of this cooperation were highlighted by the leaders of the EU and India in the joint statement of their summit in Helsinki last year.