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India & Australia Commit For Stronger Scientific &
Technological Ties
New Delhi, February 11, 2008
Union Minister for Science and Technology and
Earth Sciences Kapil Sibal has held discussions with Senator
Kim Carr, Australian Minister for Innovation, Industry,
Science and Research at Melbourne. Both Ministers agreed to
step up scientific cooperation between the two countries.
Sibal is visiting Australia as Guest of the Australian
Government from February 7 to 12, 2008 and his visit is being
coordinated by the Australian Department of Prime Minister and
Cabinet. He is also the first Indian Minister to visit
Australia after the new Government led by the Leader of the
Australian Labor Party, Kevin Rudd MP, was sworn in on 3rd of
December 2007.
Taking note of the ongoing 21 projects under the
India-Australia Strategic Research Fund, the two Ministers
agreed to further strengthen bilateral scientific cooperation
focussing on industrial research and development and high
technology areas such as nano-composites, bio-energy, health
and agricultural bio-technology, climate change and renewable
energy particularly using photo-voltaic technology. They also
agreed to set-up a Joint Working Group (JWG) to create a
roadmap for strengthening bilateral S&T cooperation in the
next six months.
During the visit, Sibal met with Senator Penny Wong, Minister
for Climate Change and Water, and Robert McClelland, MP,
Attorney General. He also met the Victorian Governor,
Professor David de Kretser,AC: Victorian Minister for
Environment, Climate Change and Innovation, Gavin Jennings,
MLC: and NSW Minister for Science and Medical Research, Verity
Firth, MP. Sibal also visited three of the Austria’s group of
eight Universities (University of New South Wales, University
of Sydney and the University of Melbourne), amongst the
leading universities of the world, as well as some of the
Premier R&D institutions e.g. Wolter and Eliza Hall Institute
of Medical Research, centenary Institute of Cancer and Cell
Biology and Bio21 Institute.
Sibal also addressed the Australia-India business council at
Sydney, and invited the Australian Industry to jointly work
with their Indian counterparts for accessing global market for
the production of world class products at affordable prices
using complimentary strengths available in two countries.
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