India and Sweden Discuss Implementation of S&T Cooperation Agreement

A high level Swedish delegation led by H.E. Mr. Leif Pagrotsky, Minister for Education, Research & Culture today met Union Minister for Science & Technology and Ocean Development, Shri Kapil Sibal. The meeting discussed the implementation of the S&T cooperation Agreement between India and Sweden.

In view of the competences of both sides, it was agreed that initial focus of the cooperation would be in the areas of Bio-technology in health and agriculture; Information & Communication Technology; Environmental Sciences; Advance Manufacturing Technologies; Automotive R&D; Material Science and Technology, etc. Other areas may also be added by mutual consent.

The two Ministers stressed that the S&T cooperation between the two countries could be two pronged—(1) fundamental research in basic sciences and engineering and (2) applications and industrial research and development. Programmes of Cooperation would be developed by Indian Department of Science and Technology with the Swedish Ministry of Education, Research and Culture as well as the Swedish innovation agency “Vinnova” for this purpose.

A Steering Committee at the Ministerial level would be set up to periodically review the progress and provide the policy directions. For implementing the programme, an Indo-Swedish Join Committee on S&T Cooperation would be set up at Senior Official level.

The Swedish delegation is visiting India from April 2 to 5, 2006 on invitation of the Union Minister for S&T and OD. Earlier, during December 2005, Shri Sibal visited Sweden on invitation of Mr. Leif Pagrotsky for the ‘Informal Science Summit’ and the Nobel Prize Events and signed an Indo-Swedish Agreement on Cooperation in S&T.

Source : Press Information Bureau
Date : April 03, 2006