Tel Aviv: India and Israel have agreed to
launch a long-term joint programme worth USD 10 million
annually to facilitate research and academic activities
benefiting them in areas like renewable and sustainable
energies, bio-medical sciences and cyber-security.
The decision came after Minister of Human Resource
Development Kapil Sibal met Israel`s Minister of Finance Yuval
Steinitz and others here.
The two sides agreed in principle to establish a
long-term programme that will bring together Indian and
Israeli researchers to carry forward research in areas of
mutual interests, the statement said.
"Taking into account the strong desire of both countries
to continue cultivating their long term economic, academic and
technological ties, both governments have decided to
substantially further enhance their academic cooperation by
launching a joint programme that will facilitate mutually
beneficial research and academic activities," it said.
Israel`s Minister of Education and Chairman of the
Council for Higher Education Gideon Sa`ar and Israel`s
Chairman of the Planning and Budgeting Committee Manuel
Trajtenberg were also present at the meeting as part of the
20th anniversary celebrations of full diplomatic relations.
The total scope of the programme will reach USD Five
Million from each side annually in steady state, over a three
year period.
The programme will be coordinated by the University
Grants Commission (UGC) on the Indian side and the Israel
Science Foundation (ISF) on the Israeli side.
The particulars of the programme will be finalised in
accordance with the decision taken by the joint working group
on April 3, 2012 and subject to the required approvals in each
country.
The first call for proposals is expected to be published
in December 2012.
The joint working group has identified broad areas for
cooperation, such as renewable and sustainable energies,
bio-medical sciences, cyber-security, humanities and social
sciences.
PTI
