The Strengthening of India ? Israel Academic Relations ? Agreed Outcomes

In the context of the twentieth anniversary of full diplomatic relations between Israel and India during which economic relations have flourished and innovation has become a shared value and goal and taking into account the strong desire of both countries to continue cultivating their long term economic, academic and technological ties, both governments have decided to substantially further enhance their academic cooperation by launching a joint program that will facilitate mutually beneficial research and academic activities.

The Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Shri. Kapil Sibal, Israel's Minister of Finance, Dr. Yuval Steinitz, Israel's Minister of Education and Chairman of the Council for Higher Education, Mr. Gideon Sa'ar and Israel's Chairman of the Planning and Budgeting Committee, Prof. Manuel Trajtenberg, have agreed in principle to establish a long-term program that will bring together Indian and Israeli researchers to carry forward research in areas of mutual interests. This in principle agreement was arrived at during Shri Kapil Sibal?s visit to Israel from which he returned this morning.

The total scope of the program will reach US$ Five Million from each side annually in steady state, over a three year period.

Both sides have agreed that the program will be coordinated by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on the Indian side and the Israel Science Foundation (ISF) on the Israeli side.

The particulars of the program will be finalized in accordance with the decision taken by the joint working group on April 3rd 2012 and subject to the required approvals in each country. The first call for proposals is expected to be published in December 2012.

The joint working group has identified broad areas for cooperation, such as Renewable & sustainable energies, Bio-medical sciences, Cyber-security, Humanities and Social sciences, etc.

MV/GK
(Release ID :82123)

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