India, US reaffirm their commitment on deepening sci-tech engagements

India and the United States have co-chaired the Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) on science and technology cooperation to outline a full slate of joint activities between the two countries.

White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Director Dr. John Holdren and Government of India, Department of Science and Technology (DST) Secretary, Ashutosh Sharma held a bilateral meeting on September 21 and highlighted the Science and Technology priorities and progress.

The JCM further emphasized the importance of promoting women in the sciences, the sharing of scientific data, strengthening mechanisms to protect intellectual property rights (IPR) and promoting an environment conducive to entrepreneurship and technology commercialization.

Both sides have agreed to the formation of the U.S.-India Science and Technology Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) Working Group on Agriculture and will move quickly to engage in robust collaboration on mutually agreed areas.

Both sides plan to re-convene by the end of the year to discuss progress on implementation of the action plan.

On oceans Dialogue, the United States and India over the next year will deepen their dialogue on maritime and ocean's issues in advance of the 2016 Our Ocean Conference, with a focus on combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing as part of sustainable fisheries, strengthening marine conservation, ending marine pollution, enhancing marine science, and with a joint commitment to a more robust ocean conservation agenda.

The new Oceans Dialogue will allow both sides to reflect on our shared commitment to peaceful commercial use of the oceans, freedom of navigation, and protection of the ocean ecosystem.

On climate variations, both countries are jointly enhancing the ability to predict weather and climatic variations, affecting India's agricultural productivity and have jointly established a "monsoon desk" at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Researchers from the U.S. Department of Defense the Indian Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) have also agreed to conduct a workshop on Munitions Science and Technology in New Delhi from October 19-21, 2015.