India, Germany to set up science research centre

Berlin, Apr 25 (UNI) India and Germany have decided to set up a Science Research and Technology Centre with a view to giving an impetus to bilateral collaboration in the field of science and technology, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal has announced.

Talking to reporters here last night, Mr Sibal, who is part of the high-level Indian delegation accompanying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on his visit to Germany, said the proposed centre would promote public-private partnership in the field of science and technology.

The Indian and the German Governments would have 20 per cent equity each in the proposed centre. The entrepreneurs of the two countries would have 30 per cent equity each.

Mr Sibal said the decision to form the centre was taken during his meeting with German Education Minister Chaban in Hannover on Sunday. He said German Chancellor Angela Merkel was also quite enthusiastic about collaboration between the two countries in the field of research and development. She was of the view that technology should be made available to the people at affordable rates.

He said the German Education Minister would visit India in October-November when the accord on the proposed centre was expected to be signed.

The research centre would have representatives of both the governments on board but would be run by private entrepreneurs.

The entrepreneurs would decide the projects to be taken up by the research centre as also the funding of the projects.

Mr Sibal said the German side was also keen to cooperate with India in the field of solar energy.

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