NEW DELHI, Nov 1 :Today, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh stated that Australia and India are actively collaborating in every field related to science and technology. Dr. Jitendra Singh praised Australia for providing the Earth Station tracking facility for Gaganyaan, India’s first human space mission, which is set to launch in 2025. He also mentioned the possibility of further collaboration in areas such as biotechnology and space research. He proposed industry partnerships for start-ups in the fields of agritech, aromatherapy, and lavender farming.When a high-level Australian team led by its High Commissioner to India, Philip Green, paid him a visit today, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, made this statement.According to Dr. Jitendra Singh, India has become a leader in tackling climate change challenges, as expressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the G20 summit in New Delhi. The Global Biofuels Alliance was founded by India on the fringes of the G20 Summit, and he declared that India is prepared to impart its knowledge of clean energy and semiconductors to Australia. According to Dr. Jitendra Singh, India increased vaccine production following the Covid epidemic, and our department of biotechnology is currently leading the way in preventive healthcare. According to him, the National Research Foundation (NRF) will function as a think tank, analysing data from the industry, academia, non-scientific academia, and CSIR. It will also make decisions about international cooperation.Dr. Jitendra Singh, the Australian High Commissioner, was requested to expeditiously resolve Round 15 of the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) applications. Up until now, more than 360 projects, fellowships, and workshops in areas significant to both Australia and India have been funded. India will expedite discussions to address outstanding issues as soon as possible, according to Dr. Jitendra Singh’s assurance. Priority areas for cooperation were identified by the two parties as follows: Next-Gen Sustainable Mining and advanced Manufacturing; Strategic and critical minerals; Environment and Clean Technologies (Carbon capture, conversion, sequestration and utilisation); Green Energy (including hydrogen, solar, etc. and energy storage solutions); Sustainable Infrastructure; Marine Technologies; and Affordable Healthcare.The delegations also decided to strengthen student-researcher exchange programmes as a means of fostering youth-industry connections, establish joint technology incubation centres to support the early stages and growth of technology development, and increase industry participation in R&D projects using the 2+2 (Research Institutions + Industry) model to co-develop and scale up technologies. According to Dr. Jitendra Singh, India currently boasts over 150 space startups, some of which are now valued at billions of rupees. Just four startups existed in the space sector a few years ago. He suggested that IN-SPACe collaborate with the Australia Space Agency (ASA) and help Space Startups with cooperative projects.In June 2021, ASA will provide complete assistance, including a site survey at Cocos Island on behalf of ISRO. To formalise their cooperation, ASA and ISRO signed the Implementing Arrangement in January 2022. In August 2023, ISRO representatives travelled to Cocos Island and conducted a frequency survey at the suggested location. Along with senior officials from ISRO and the Department of Atomic Energy, the Indian team included Secretary, DST, Prof. Abhay Karandikar; Secretary, CSIR, Dr (Mrs.) N. Kalaiselvi; Secretary, DBT, Dr Rajesh S. Gokhale.
