India and Argentina have agreed for a bilateral exchange of young researchers and Startups, particularly in the field of Biotechnology and Agriculture, says Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh

India and Argentina have agreed for a bilateral exchange of young researchers and Startups, particularly in the field of Biotechnology and Agriculture.

This was stated here today by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh when the Governor of Santa Fe province of Argentina, Omar Angel Perotti called on him, accompanied by a high-level delegation.

The two countries also decided to hold comprehensive talks between delegations comprising academia, R&D Institutes and Industry in the field of Science & Technology and Biotechnology, said the Minister.

Dr Jitendra Singh mentioned that a new Indo-Argentina call for joint proposals was launched on February 7, 2023 in the research areas of Energy Transition and Biotechnology jointly during his meeting with Argentina’s Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr Daniel Filmus in New Delhi. A total of 82 joint proposals were received under the said call. These are under the evaluation process.

Santa Fe Province accounts for as many as 8 of these joint proposals, said Mr. Perotti, adding that the province also accounts for about 80% of bilateral trade between India and the Latin American nation. The Governor mentioned that Santa Fe is the hub of R&D institutions in Biotechnology and Agricultural research especially in Soyabean, and close tie ups with universities and industry in the province. Pioneering work has been done here in disease resistant seed production, he said.

The Indian delegation evinced interest in collaborating in Geospatial technology, Quantum Computation and Bio-Enzymes. It was pointed out that India has the world’s third largest Startup ecosystem and there is huge potential for joint studies and collaboration at various levels such institutional, universities and multilateral fora

India and Argentina have an Inter-governmental Agreement to promote technical and scientific cooperation signed in 1985. The objective of this programme is to strengthen and expand relations between scientific communities, making possible the exchanges between Indian and Argentine research groups, in the framework of joint scientific and technological projects, selected by the parties.

Dr Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology (DST) & Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Director General, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) comprised the Indian delegation while the Argentine delegation included Presidents of the two major Stock Exchanges in Santa Fe and Vice-Chancellors of three Universities in the province besides the Ambassador of Argentina to India, Mr Hugo Gobby.