- April 28, 2023
India-UK to jointly create net zero innovation virtual centre, joint deep sea voyage and space parks on the cards | India News – Times of India
NEW DELHI: India and the UK will jointly create India-UK ‘Net Zero’ Innovation Virtual Centre which will provide a platform to bring stakeholders from both the countries together to work in some of the focus areas including industrial decarbonisation and Green Hydrogen. Both the countries will also join hands for launching the first ever UK-India scientific ‘deep sea voyage’ (for carrying out scientific studies) and ‘space parks’ (manufacturing hub for space-related technology) partnership.
Decisions on these issues along with several other joint programmes on science and innovation were taken on Wednesday and Thursday, following a meeting between India’s science & technology minister Jitendra Singh and the UK science minister George Freeman in London.
Singh, who is leading a high-level official delegation on a six-day visit to the UK, said he hoped the India-UK MoU, signed during his current visit, would provide a great mechanism to support research and innovation in both countries for long-term sustainable growth through expanding and maximising cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
The ‘net zero’ innovation virtual centre would provide an opportunity to both the countries to take up multiple mitigation measures in the manufacturing process and transport system to reduce carbon emission in sync with their respective ‘net zero’ (emission) goals to reach the Paris Agreement climate change collective targets to limit the global warming to acceptable levels.
The Decision, taken during Singh’s visit, saw India named as a partner for the UK’s International Science Partnerships Fund, carrying forward the UK-India science partnership built through the Newton-Bhabha fund.
This renewed partnership will kick off with two new joint UK-India research programmes: £5 million UK funding, matched by India, for research into Farmed Animal Diseases and Health, and £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.
“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 AI and machine learning,” said a statement from the UK government.
Decisions on these issues along with several other joint programmes on science and innovation were taken on Wednesday and Thursday, following a meeting between India’s science & technology minister Jitendra Singh and the UK science minister George Freeman in London.
Singh, who is leading a high-level official delegation on a six-day visit to the UK, said he hoped the India-UK MoU, signed during his current visit, would provide a great mechanism to support research and innovation in both countries for long-term sustainable growth through expanding and maximising cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
The ‘net zero’ innovation virtual centre would provide an opportunity to both the countries to take up multiple mitigation measures in the manufacturing process and transport system to reduce carbon emission in sync with their respective ‘net zero’ (emission) goals to reach the Paris Agreement climate change collective targets to limit the global warming to acceptable levels.
The Decision, taken during Singh’s visit, saw India named as a partner for the UK’s International Science Partnerships Fund, carrying forward the UK-India science partnership built through the Newton-Bhabha fund.
This renewed partnership will kick off with two new joint UK-India research programmes: £5 million UK funding, matched by India, for research into Farmed Animal Diseases and Health, and £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.
“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 AI and machine learning,” said a statement from the UK government.
