Kapil Sibal Calls for India-EU Knowledge Grid to Address Issues of Global Concern

The India-EU Ministerial Science Conference began in New Delhi today with the Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Kapil Sibal calling upon the delegates to join hands to provide a Knowledge Grid for addressing issues of global concern. Inaugurating the event he emphasized that a strong science and knowledge base forms as a major pre-requisite for competitiveness and that enhancing sustainable socio-economic development and tackling global issues concerning health, environment and energy can only be done through international S&T collaboration.

Setting out the agenda for the Conference, Shri Sibal said the questions to be addressed are the main economic and societal challenges that India and the EU are confronted with and what role do science and technology play in addressing them and how can India-EU S&T Cooperation be further strengthened.

Presenting the Indian economic scenario, Shri Sibal pointed out that the 11th Five Year Plan 2007-2012 envisages an average growth rate of 9 per cent, necessarily requiring double digit growth towards the end of the plan. On the demand side, the Indian economy offers enormous opportunities and that investment opportunities are today, perhaps at the peak. He said the Bharat Nirman Programme offers opportunities to invest in rural infrastructure, connectivity and up-liftment and the Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewal Scheme provides opportunities in urban infrastructure with huge investments planned for the next seven years. Out of investment opportunities in excess of $500 billion in diverse sectors over the next five years, infrastructure alone has the potential to absorb $150 billion amongst others, for the modernization of roads, ports and world class civil aviation infrastructure.

The Minister said the real challenge, however, is the use of appropriate technologies as an integral part of the developmental agenda. This is where the India-EU partnership can be steppingstone for the EU to access markets and for India to access technologies. Shri Sibal expressed hope that India-EU partnership may create an appropriate environment for both accessing and building new technologies for mutual benefits.

In respect of technologies for public good, the Minister said, India-EU partnership can provide the necessary impetus for such investments. Stressing that the problems of disease, hunger, natural disasters and climate change are areas where technology can be used to address issues confronting the global community he suggested a collaborative approach, in which India and the EU can jointly work for universal solutions. Calling for shared partnership under the India-EC S&T Agreement, the Minister said that upto Euros 5 million annually is being earmarked to match EC resources for India-EU Joint Projects.

Referring to the recent report of the UN Inter-Governmental Panel on Climatic Change, Shri Sibal said the problem is both urgent and imminent and climate change is an area in which India and the EU can cooperate not only for the benefit of the two subcontinents but mankind. He said India is open to hosting a major international initiative in this regard.

Earlier, Dr. T. Ramasami Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, welcomed the delegates.

The two-day event is being hosted by the Government of India. Held within the framework of the German EU Presidency, this is the first time that EU Member States and the European Commission meet on a science ministerial level outside of the EU. 37 delegates from 20 EU Member States are participating in the event.

Source : Press Information Bureau
Date : February 07, 2007