Canada, India announce four new Joint Science and Technology Initiatives

The Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, today announced funding for four new Canada-India science and technology (S&T) projects worth $6.7 million.

“Canadians are leaders in the field of health sciences,” said Minister Day. “These projects will help connect pure research in laboratories with applied research, and will contribute to improving the lives of Canadians and people around the world.”

All four of the joint projects announced today are in the medical field. Two are seeking advances in the field of cancer, one in the field of sexually transmitted diseases and one in the treatment of malaria.

The Canadian portion of the funding is delivered by International Science and Technology Partnerships Canada (ISTPCanada), an independent organization that provides networking opportunities and funding to support Canadian participation in collaborative research projects.

“The International Science and Technology Partnerships Program, which supports these outstanding collaborative projects, is an example of the important role played by both governments in promoting leading-edge research,” said Henri Rothschild, President and Chief Executive Officer of ISTPCanada. “At ISTPCanada, we will continue to deliver similar bilateral activities in support of this role, one that can only grow in significance in the coming years.”

S&T relations between Canada and India have made good progress at the federal, provincial, academic and private-sector levels over the past years. Much of this progress is due to the work of the Canada-India S&T Joint Cooperation Committee, co chaired by Dr. Thirumalachari Ramasami, Secretary of India’s Department of Science and Technology. Today’s new projects are in addition to eight projects and two joint initiatives announced in June 2008.

Canada and India have a close relationship in science and technology. This includes work in biotechnology, health science, nanoscience and nanomedicine, energy, aerospace, environmental technologies, information and communications technology, and earth sciences.