Chile and Argentina will pool resources to jointly produce defense equipment. An agreement signed between officials of the two G-15 countries on 23 April 2010 would cover Chile for shipbuilding contracts it is struggling to complete because of extensive damage to its shipyards in the Feb 27 earthquake that had wrecked Chilean shipyards and other infrastructure.

Under the agreement, Chile’s National Aeronautics Enterprise and Argentina National Airplanes Factory will also explore the possibility of manufacturing a training aircraft that could be deployed in both air forces.

The Ministry of Science & Technology, Ethiopia and the Turkish government signed in June, 2010 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the development of research projects, the dissemination of the results of the projects and exchange of scientists. The ministry has previously signed a similar agreement with the governments of Switzerland, Eygpt and Israel and plans to do the same with the governments of Japan, China, South Korea, South Africa and Brazil, countries which are registering sharp growth in science and technology.

The agreement comprises the exchange of researchers, technologists and specialists from both countries. It also covers the organization of meetings, conferences, symposiums and trainings. Exchange of equipment that assist the innovation of new ideas in science and technology is further provided for in the agreement. Turkish investment in Ethiopia is increasing from time to time, not only in terms of capital transfer from their investors, but also in creating employment opportunity and technological transfer via Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

The cooperation is aimed at harnessing the scientific knowledge of the two countries to promote technological advancements. Turkish investors are involved in various development sectors of Ethiopia. The government of Turkey has allotted a total investment of about USD 800 million for Ethiopia. This will allow Turkish investors to broaden their investment in industry, agriculture and technology.

Indonesia and Malaysia have broadened their financial co-operation. They have signed a memorandum of understanding on transnational banking monitoring involving a heightened exchange of information on international bank transfers. According to a press release of Bank Indonesia dated 20 April 2010, the agreement was signed by acting Bank Indonesia Governor Darmin Nasution, and Malaysian State Bank Governor, Zeti Akhtar, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In another development, the two G-15 countries are likely to back their bilateral trade with currency swaps to ease currency volatility against the dollar. According to Indonesia’s central bank, with bilateral currency swaps in support of trade, both countries can avoid the use of a third currency such as the dollar.

Economic and political relations between Iran and Zimbabwe received further boost when two countries, in Apr 2010, signed 11 cooperation agreements and issued a joint statement of solidarity. The agreements envisage bilateral cooperation in the fields of tourism, science, technology, youth affairs, transportation, aviation and education as well as easing political and service category visas.

Furthermore, Iran’s Export Guarantee Fund and Zimbabwe’s Finance Ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the formation of mutual investment companies.

In April 2010, Kazakhstan and US have signed science, technology cooperation accord to expand partnership, facilitate joint activities across multiple fields. Negotiations for a bilateral Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement have been ongoing since 2003. The accord the 51st of its kind, the United States has reached with participating countries-creates a structure that will allow Kazakh and US government agencies, ministries, institutes, universities, and research centers to collaborate on science and technology efforts through a Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement exempts cooperative activities from taxation, customs duties, and fees.

The partnership is expected to open the way for Kazakh and US entities to engage in joint activities in education, health, biotechnology, energy, seismic research, water resource management, information technology engineering, and the environment.

It is believed that this partnership recognizes Kazakhstan’s existing and emerging expertise in many key areas where it can contribute and make a difference.

In April 2010, Venezuela and Brazil signed 22 agreements in the areas of energy, housing, agriculture, culture, tourism and more. Among the agreements was one under which the Venezuelan state-oil company, PDVSA agreed to increase its supply of gasoline to the Brazilian petrochemical company, Braskem, up to 750,000 barrels a month. Venezuela’s Housing and Public Works Ministry also signed an agreement with the Brazilian company, Norberto Odebrecht, for the construction of public housing in Venezuela’s poor barrios.

Other accords included one for the construction of a Brazilian ship-building factory in Venezuela for which Brazil’s National Economic and Social Development Bank (BNDES) plans to provide $1 billion of financial assistance. Trade relations between Venezuela and Brazil grew to $4.2 billion in 2009, of which $3.6 billion came from Brazilian exports.

INDO-GERMAN TECHNOLOGY CENTRE

India and Germany have mutually agreed to set-up Indo-German Science and Technology Centre (IGSTC) in India to be jointly supported by Indian and German Governments. Government has approved the establishment of Indo-German Science and Technology Centre. It will be located in National Capital Region and will be registered as “Society” under Societies Registration Act (Act XXI of 1860, Punjab Amendment Act 1957) as extended to Delhi. The Indio-German Science and Technology Centre will be jointly supported by Government of India (Department of Science and Technology) and Government of Germany (Federal Ministry of Education and research). Each will contribute equivalent amount of 2 million euro per year for 5 years.

The centre’s mandate is to bring together scientists and industry from both countries to carry out R&D projects in a “2+2” collaborative arrangement. That is, scientists from India will identify a partnering Indian firm to collaborate with a corresponding German scientists-industry partnership group. Already a programme on ‘Lean Manufacturing’ has been launched among IIT Delhi, PSG College of Technology (Coimbatore) and the Institute of Production Management, Technology and Machine Tools, Darmstadt. A programme on ‘Automotive Resource Policy’ has also been taken up in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute as part of which three workshops were held in the last year-and-half, according to Dr. Ramasami secretary DST.

Already both countries have traveled a long distance together in the last 5 years of collaboration of strengthening S&T cooperation. In the years 2009, as many as 1700 scientists moved between the two countries as part of the scientists exchange programme marking an increase of 35 percent over the previous year. Real hallmark of the cooperation has been the symmetry and co-sharing of resources, says Dr. Ramasami, Secretary DST.
The main objectives of the Centre are to support flagship joint research projects involving academic/research institutes and a private industry from both sides and to extend financial support for industrial Research and Development, technology commercialization and partnership development activities to foster Science and Technology cooperation between two countries as per our national priorities.

Innovation House

Further German Education and Research Ministry proposed to set up a German House of Science and Innovation (GHSI) in New Delhi, an entity distinct from the IGSTC. The GHSI, an initiative of Chancellor Angela Merkel and German Federal Foreign Officer’s Research and Academic Relations Programme, will be a platform for interaction among Indian and German collaborating scientists and technologists. This will be one of the five Houses being established in five cities on four continents to create a global network that will showcase German competence and innovative strength in science and technology: in New Delhi, Tokyo, New York, Moscow and São Paulo. The Indian GHSI will be the third innovation house to be established around the world; the first one was in São Paulo, Brazil and the second was in the in New York.

The House is being established in conjunction with 6-7 major German universities and German research foundations such as German Research Foundation, German Academic Exchange Service, the Max Planck Society, the Fraunhofer Society, the Helmholtz Association and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. This forum will also help to avoid overlap and repetition in the collaborative research being undertaken as part of programmes separately under these agencies.

Germany has announced that the year 2011-12 will be a German-Indian year by showcasing German politics, culture, arts and Science & Technology. India too has patronized the idea by announcing an India-German year that would project Indian achievements in Germany during 2012-13.

Introduction

India and Canada have signed bilateral science & technology agreements to encourage develop and facilitate co-operation between two countries for peaceful purposes in fields of common interest and on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. Within the context of the S&T agreement, funding mechanisms have been created, through which industry, universities/colleges and research organizations may seek support for joint bilateral research and development (R&D) projects and other activities intended to generate new or expanded international research and technology-based partnerships (termed as Partnership Development Activities). For India, funding and other services are provided through by the Global Innovation & Technology Alliance (GITA), a non-governmental organization, engaged by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. For Canada, the same is provided through International Science and Technology Partnerships Canada Inc. (ISTPCanada), a non-governmental organization selected by the Government of Canada for this purpose.Special Feature in this Newsletter endevours to bring out the salient features of arrangement between the two countries.

The fundamental principles that guide the Implementation Organizations in their delivery of joint funding and support for joint R&D collaboration are: Scientific and technological excellence; Shared benefits; Prospects for economic returns; Equality; Protection of intellectual property; Respect for the applicable laws and regulations in the two countries; and Peaceful uses.

Supported Activities

Under the agreement, support is available for two categories of collaborative S&T related activities: Collaborative R&D Projects and, Partnership Development Activities. Priority sectors are periodically identified. However, for general calls-for-proposals (CFPs), applications are considered from all areas of research. From time-to-time targeted CFPs are issued, with applications limited to the identified sector(s).

Collaborative projects

1. Collaborative research - planned research or critical investigation aimed at the discovery of new knowledge, with the objective that such knowledge may be useful in developing new knowledge, products, processes or services,or in bringing about a significant improvement to existing knowledge, products, processes or services;
   
   
2. Collaborative pre-competitive development - translation of research findings into a plan, blueprint or design for new, modified or improved products, processes or services.

Both in India and in Canada, collaborative R&D projects can be led either by industry or academia with the mandatory active participation of industry.

Besides collaborative R&D projects are required to satisfy number of basic requirements such as:

1. Projects must include participants from the two countries;
   
   
2. Industry participation from both countries in collaborative R&D projects is mandatory, including university, college or research institution led projects;
   
   
3. Proposals must clearly demonstrate that they respond to and address identified needs and interests in the two countries;
   
   
4. Applicants must demonstrate the capacity to manage, conduct and benefit from the proposed research and development;
   
   
5. Proposals are expected to include clearly identified commercial goals and commercialization strategies;
   
   
6. Proposals must include an intellectual property management plan;
   
   
7. Projects should provide the opportunity for young researchers to participate, both within their own country and through exchanges with the partner country.
   
   In addition to above common requirements for both India and Canada, certain specific requirements separately for applicants from two countries are also laid down.
   

Partnership Development Activities (PDA)

These are designed to foster relationships and partnerships leading to the development of collaborative research and development projects and other forms of research collaboration. Such activities might include, but are not limited to scientific seminars, workshops, symposia, conferences and activities that involve exchange programs.

Like Collaborative R&D Projects, Partnership Development Activities also have some common requirements to be met by applicants from both countries.

These are:

1. Activities must include participants from both countries;
   
   
2. Applications will be strengthened by the inclusion of participants from both industry and academia. In Canada, government laboratories may participate but are not eligible to receive funding;
   
   
3. Activities will be funded by each country on a 50/50 cost shared basis. Canadian participants must fund at least 50% of Canadian eligible expenditures;
   
   
4. Activities should provide the opportunity for young researchers to participate, both within their own country and in activities hosted in the partner country;
   
   
5. Proposals should identify the objectives of the activity and how the activity fits into the applicants’ strategic plans for collaboration with the partner country.
   

Evaluation

Implementing organizations review EOIs to determine and identify those which best meet the basic requirements and objectives of the program. They are then asked to submit full proposals.

All proposals are evaluated against three fundamental criteria. These are:

1. The scientific merits of the project and the degree of innovation inherent in the product or service being developed;
   
   
2. The business opportunity of the proposed project and its capacity for commercial success in the near future; and
   
   
3. The capacity of the participants to manage and conduct the project, including commercialization thus leading to clear benefits to both countries.

Review committees consisting of independent experts in each country evaluate the proposals. Based on the results of the evaluations, Implementing Organizations will make a common decision regarding successful proposals. For partnership development parallel evaluation process is conducted by the Implementing Organizations. Typically, within Three months of receiving a proposal, results are communicated to the co-applicants by their respective Implementing Organizations.

Concluding Remarks

As a follow up of above collaboration, joint call for proposals for Partnership Development Activities was recently made by both countries in June 2010 for submission of proposals. Implementing organizations for these are Global Innovation & Technology Alliance (GITA) on behalf of the DST, India and on the Canadian side by International Science & Technology Partnership Canada Inc (ISTP, Canada) incorporated in Canada.

Bilateral relations between India and Brazil are further strengthened. Bilateral trade in recent years had reached US$5.6 billion in 2009, the need for increased efforts to achieve the bilateral trade target of US$ 10 billion by 2010 is stressed. Both G-15 leaders from India and Brazil note that bilateral investments were growing in diverse areas and called on business and industry in both countries to utilize the opportunities available in the areas of energy, agriculture, mining, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure and construction, among others, to further expand bilateral investments.

Both Heads of State welcomed the appointment of Defence Attaches in their respective Diplomatic Missions in Brazil and in India and noted the increasing contacts between the Brazilian firm, EMBRAER, and the Indian Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) towards the joint development of high-technology military aircraft. The Brazilian side welcomed India’s decision to open a cultural center in Sao Paulo, the first of its kind in the Americas

Recently India signed three agreements with Czech Republic including one on social security. Two other agreements were signed by the two countries – on Economic Cooperation and one on a protocol on Amendment of the Agreement between India and Czech Republic for the promotion and protection to investments signed on October 11, 1996. Both the nations emphasized on greater cooperation on diverse sectors like trade and commerce, engineering technology, nano-technology, agriculture etc.

Czech engineers have contributed to India’s industrialization and BATA, Yezdi and Skoda are well known brand names in India. Many Indian companies are present in the Czech Republic in diverse sectors such as software, trucks, pharmaceuticals and textiles. There is also scope for co-operations between universities and cultural institutions of two countries. Indian institutions who have shown interest in co-operating in science and technology are CSIR and IIT Mumbai.

Bilateral trade between India and in the Czech Republic is a little over USD 1 billion. Two way investments by companies have also been made. Czech investments in India are in automobile and power sectors, whereas from India, companies from automobiles and IT sectors have made investments in the Czech Republic.

The Islamic Republic of Iran and India signed six co-operation agreements in July, 2010, at the end of their 16th Economic Cooperation meeting in Delhi recently.

Besides Air Service Contract and agreement on transfer of sentenced persons other significant scientific co-operations include memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in New and Renewable Energy, MoU on cooperation in small scale industry signed by Dy. Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance, Iran and Chairman and Managing Director of Indian National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC). Program of cooperation in Science and Technology and MoU on cooperation between Central Pulp and Paper Research were also signed between the two countries.

(i) Transportation, (ii) Robotics & Engineering Sciences, (iii) Nutrition & Food Safety, (iv) Renewable Energy, (v) Chemical & Biochemical Technologies, (vi) Health & Medical Science, (vii) Material Science & Technology, (viii) Water Resources & Environment, and (ix) Information Technology.

The POC will also provide opportunities to scientists of both the countries to visit each other’s laboratories. To further intensify present level of ongoing bilateral cooperation, the new POC has been signed.

Towards end of February, 2010 India and Saudi Arabia signed five agreements after extensive delegation talks between the two countries. Agreement on scientific cooperation include a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and King Abdukl Aziz University of Science and Technology on cooperation in peaceful use of outer space, an MoU on cooperation in Science and Technology for joint research and development and a MoU on cultural cooperation.

Two other memoranda of understanding are between Centre for Development of Advance Computing (C-DAC) and King Abdul Aziz University for science and technology and other is media cooperation between Press Trust of India and Saudi Press agency. Non-governmental agreements were also signed between TATA motors and Hotil transport for Supply of buses worth 80 million dollars and the other MoU was between Gulf Buma and DFL.

An MoU was singed between National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), Hyderabad, and Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale – OGS, Trieste, Italy on 30 November 2009 to establish a firm collaboration among the scientists of these two Institutes for research in ‘Gas Hydrates’. Scientists working on gas hydrates research from OGS, Trieste, Italy visited NGRI recently.

During their sojourn, they installed the ISTRICI software at NGRI, free of cost, for processing the marine Multi-Channel Seismic (MCS) data for the investigation of gas-hydrates, and imparted training to the personnel working in gas- hydrates project. Visit is believed to enhance the working of NGRI scientists in handling the marine MCS data, and producing better image and velocity model of hydrate-bearing sediments.

In May 2010, India and Turkmenistan have inked two pacts on cooperation in the education and science and technology sectors. A joint statement signed by the two sides expressed satisfaction over the signing of the Education Exchange Programme and the Agreement on Cooperation in the field of Science and Technology. The science and technology agreement would facilitate interactions in he spheres of science and technology, organizing visits of students and faculties, development of links between educational and scientific institutions and implementation of joint scientific and research projects.

Both sides noted with satisfaction the positive experience of cooperation in the field of education within the framework of the programmes implemented by the Government of India and welcomed the establishment of an Information Technology Centre in Ashgabat with India’s development and technical support.