India-ASEAN to increase cooperation in S

New Delhi, Nov 7 (UNI) India and ASEAN have decided to increase cooperation in the field of Science and Technology by creating a Joint India-ASEAN S&T Development Fund.

Addressing a joint press conference here today, Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal and leader of ASEAN delegation and Malaysian Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Jamaluddin Mohd. Jarjis said the Joint declaration signed by the two sides will not only strengthen the ties between them in the field of science and technology but will also make ways for new horizons.

The declaration has stated that to realise the shared goal of using knowledge for creation of wealth in the contest of Indian-ASEAN partnership it is imperative to consider undertaking collaborative R&D and technology development in areas of biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, agriculture for food security and advanced materials through the creation of a common India-ASEAN S&T Development Fund.

The two sides would strive to design through harmonized standards a regulatory framework in relation to Biotechnology products and the agricultural processing industry to ensure that the value addition resulting there from ennures to the benefit of ASEAN region.

They have also agreed to consider the establishment of an India-ASEAN Institute for Intellectual Property for building Human Resource capacities and training to serve the ASEAN region.

In view of the symbiotic relationship between Science and Technology and economic progress, India-ASEAN partnership will also encourage linkages between academic institutions, research laboratories, professional bodies and industry to create a knowledge grid and to support the mobility of members of the scientific community.

They would hold Technology Summits on a regular basis utilising existing platforms in India and ASEAN for encouraging competitiveness within a cooperative framework amongst all stakeholders. The two sides would also work to popularize science through interaction of youth, including school children, within the ASEAN region and to explore and promote mechanisms to ensure such participation on a large scale.

They have also resolved that Confederation of Indian Industry in coordination with Department of Science and Technology (under the Framework of GITA signed between the two agencies) and ASEAN Secretariat will spearhead the implementation of programme amanating from the joint declaration, in consultation with the ASEAN COST.

The Heads of Science and Technology Agencies of the ASEAN member countries--Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam met their Indian counterparts yesterday at the 12th Technology Summit and Technology Platform, organized jointly by the DST and CII, and the ASEAN Committee on Science&Technology (COST) and decided to sign the joint declaration.

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