Cabinet approves MoU with Indonesia for technological cooperation

The Union Cabinet at a meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday gave its approval for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Indonesia on scientific and technological cooperation.

Signing of the MoU will open a new chapter in bilateral relations between the two countries as both sides will now leverage complementary strengths spurred by a significant convergence of mutual interests in science and technology, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said at a press conference here.

"The objective of the MoU is to promote cooperation in the fields of science and technology between India and Indonesia on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. The stake-holders will include researchers from scientific organisations, academia, Research and Development laboratories and companies from India and Indonesia.

"Information and Communication Technology; Marine Science and Technology; Life Sciences (including Biotechnology, Agriculture and Biomedical Sciences); Energy Research; Water Technologies; Disaster Management; Space Sciences, Technology and Applications; Geospatial Information and Applied Chemistry were identified as potential areas for immediate collaboration," Prasad said.

The Minister further said the MoU was signed in May by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Harsh Vardhan and Mohamad Nasir, Minister for Research, Technology and Higher Education, Indonesia.

--IANS

rak/qd/sed