Wold wants to strengthen co-operation in ocean, health, energy, climate and security
The India-Norway have discussed the extension of S&T cooperation to include areas like quantum science and technology, electric mobility, green hydrogen, ocean science, cyber-physical system, blue economy, information and communication technology.
The discussions held by Joint Working Group on Science & Technology also aim to strengthen existing areas of co-operation like polar sciences, bio-economy, renewable energy, nano-science and technology as well as anti-microbial resistance.
These discussions were held on 12 Oct 2022, said the Ministry of Science and Technology.
The Group decided on furthering activities like bilateral workshops, support for on-going joint research projects, new joint R&D Project with industry participation, human capacity development, focusing on areas which has more relevance or impact to society as well as industrial R & D programmes
Anne Line Wold, Director General, Ministry of Education and research who headed the delegation from the Norway side, underlined that India is among the 9 priority countries outside Europe in S&T co-operation for Norway and emphasized on strengthening co-operation on priority areas like ocean, health, energy, climate and security.
Hans Jacob Frydenlund, Ambassador of Norway to India, also highlighted the successful areas of S&T cooperation between the two countries and expressed the hope that the meeting would expand to areas of increasing relevance like green hydrogen, anti-microbial resistance, renewable energy and so on.
“The co-operation will help in enhancing quality and relevance of R&D, technology translation, taking it to market, connecting industry, startups, MSMEs to R&D Labs and academia, societal connect, science for people, diversity and inclusion (Youth, Women, Rural, SC/ST), aligning S&T with national priorities, water, energy, environment, transport, health, manufacturing, waste processing and so on,” added S K Varshney, Advisor & Head, International Cooperation, Department of Science and Technology (DST), who led the delegation from the Indian side at the JWG meeting.
The representatives from the Scientific and Education Ministries as well as the Ministry of External Affairs of India and their counterparts from Norway discussed in details the thematic areas in which the cooperation can be taken forward and the mechanisms to do so.
The Indo-Norwegian S&T Cooperation was formalized through an Inter-governmental agreement signed in Tromso, Norway, in 2006. It was activated through a Programme of Cooperation (POC) signed in Oslo in May 2009.
A Joint Working Group constituted under the framework of Inter-Governmental agreement has held six meetings so far, alternately in India and Norway.
The activities so far included support for joint workshops on ICT and Bio-economy during 2016-2017, joint projects under ICT and projects under Bio-economy. A joint call on renewable Energy was launched in 2017-2018. Joint projects on energy storage, microgrids and solar cell applications were also supported.
During 2018-2019 a joint call on Nanoscience and Technology was launched and 7 joint projects were supported. fiinews.com
