India, Russia hold talks to enhance cooperation in science

India and Russia held discussions this week to enhance their cooperation in the field of science and technology.
Ashutosh Sharma, secretary, Department of Science and Technology, who was on a three-day visit to the Eurasian nation, met top Russian scientists regarding establishment of joint cooperation in areas of big data and cyber physical systems.
He also signed a new MoU with the Fund for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises (FASIE).
This aims at facilitating joint efforts to support enterprises to improve their international competitiveness through cooperation, innovative activities and technology transfer in jointly defined thematic areas.
In St Petersburg, Sharma visited the Ioffe Physico- Technical Institute to explore new cooperation opportunities between the two countries in the area of clean energy.

He further met the head of the Russian Science Foundation to launch a second call for projects, thus marking successful implementation of the first call which has resulted in 17 joint basic and exploratory research projects.
One more meeting with Federal Agency for Scientific Organisations (FASO) was focused on implementing the MoU in the field of science, technology and innovation that was signed in 2016.
The agreement is expected to enhance closer interaction between scientists of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the scientists of India.