India-UK to sign pact to cut red tape for greater science, tech tie-ups

Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh arrived here on Wednesday for a five-day trip to the UK to enhance the scale of bilateral collaboration in the field of scientific research and development and will kick-start the visit by signing a memorandum of understanding with his British counterpart.

The programmes covered by the new MoU, to be agreed at a ministerial-level Science and Innovation Council meeting, will include the establishment of a new UK-India Net Zero Innovation Virtual Centre focusing on industrial decarbonisation and launching the first ever UK-India scientific deep sea voyage.

"The visit seeks to enhance scale of bilateral collaboration in diverse fields ranging from scientific R&D, Startups, Industry and Academia," Dr Singh tweeted.

Following his meeting with UK Science Minister George Freeman within the UK Parliament complex in London, he is scheduled to sign the joint MoU on research between the two countries which the UK government said would enable quicker and deeper collaboration on science between the two science powerhouses that will drive economic growth, create skilled jobs and improve lives in the UK, India, and worldwide.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said the agreement will "remove red tape" standing in the way of major collaborations, while unleashing a raft of new joint research schemes aiming to deliver progress on some of the biggest issues facing the world, from climate change and pandemic preparedness through to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

"India is rapidly building on its phenomenal software and innovation sectors to become a global powerhouse in science and technology. With our extensive trading and cultural links, shared democratic values and interest in urgent global issues from green technology and agri-tech to biosecurity and pandemic preparedness, we have very strong platforms for deepening research collaboration, said Freeman.

"Today's agreement is part of our program of deepening UK collaboration with other global science superpowers on ground-breaking innovation and research, to help tackle shared global challenges. This partnership will grow the sectors, companies and jobs of tomorrow for the benefit of both our countries and the globe, he added.

Besides, his ministry announced that India will be named a partner for the UK's International Science Partnerships Fund, carrying forward the UK-India science partnership built through the Newton-Bhabha fund.

The renewed partnership will kick off with two new joint UK-India research programmes: GBP 5 million UK funding, matched by India, for research into Farmed Animal Diseases and Health and GBP 3.3 million UK funding, matched by India, towards a technology and skills partnership programme that will enable UK and Indian researcher to develop skills, technologies and knowledge in areas such as AI, machine learning and bio-imaging.

Other bilateral agreements to be struck at the Science and Innovation Council meeting on Wednesday include: Several UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Indian Department for Science and Technology (DST) joint research calls, including programmes on sustainability and solid earth hazards; an intention to launch a partnership for decarbonising India's pharmaceutical and fine chemicals industries; a programme of UK-India university partnerships, including one between Aston University and CSIR Dehradun on sustainable biofuels; and the fourth annual meeting of the RS/INSA Yusuf Hamied programme, a scheme designed to promote relationships and knowledge exchanges between UK and Indian researchers.

The UK government said the collaborative activities carried out under the MoU will be supported by joint funding agreed by both sides, with finances for each programme determined on a case-by-case basis.