June 15, 2008
No. 139
The Honourable David Emerson, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics, and the Honourable Kapil Sibal, India's Union Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, today announced the launch of 10 new Canada-India science and technology (S&T) joint initiatives worth $17 million.
"Our government understands the importance of establishing international research partners and the critical role science and technology play in the new economy," said Minister Emerson. "These joint projects will enhance the collaboration between our scientists and commercialize their discoveries."
Eight of the initiatives are joint research and development projects, and two are partnership-development activities. The Canadian portion of both projects and partnerships is funded through the International Science and Technology Partnerships Program and is delivered by International Science and Technology Partnerships Canada (ISTPCanada), an arm's-length organization.
"International Science and Technology Partnerships Canada's mission is to build productive partnerships and today's announcement is the result of close collaboration between officials in Canada and India," added Henri Rothschild, President and Chief Executive Officer of ISTPCanada.
"We are grateful that both governments have made science and technology a priority, and we know that these agreements will benefit business-to-business relations and, ultimately, overall economic, trade and political relations. These projects form the basis of the networking opportunities that lead to strong research linkages with high potential for commercial success."
The joint activities will lead to an increase of commercially viable research and development initiatives, and will assist in the organization of scientific seminars, conferences and workshops.
Canada and India S&T relations have made good progress at the federal, provincial, academic and private-sector levels since the signing of an overarching agreement on science and technology cooperation in November 2005. In addition to India, Canada has S&T agreements with five other countries and the European Union.
The S&T agreement with India is now one of the most active partnerships between the two countries. Areas of cooperation under the Agreement include biotechnology, health research, medical devices, nanoscience and nanomedicine, sustainable and alternate energy and environmental technologies, information and communications technology, and earth sciences and disaster management. In March 2008, aerospace, biopharmaceuticals, photonics and synchrotron science were added to the list.
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A backgrounder follows.
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Lynn Meahan
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics
613-992-7332
Trade Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-996-2000
www.international.gc.ca/index.aspx
Backgrounder
New Canada and India Joint Science and Technology Initiatives
The projects announced today stem from the Canada-India Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation, which was signed in November 2005.
The International Science and Technology Partnerships Program (ISTPP) is a five-year, $20-million Canadian program, which aims to build stronger science and technology relationships with other countries.
The ISTPP is delivered on behalf of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada by International Science and Technology Partnerships Canada (ISTPCanada), an arm's-length organization.
Partnership development activities
The partnership development activities are designed to explore new and creative ways of developing next-generation research partnerships between Canada and India in the critical areas of biofuels-particularly in the context of avoiding encroachment on agri-foods-and nanotechnology applications.
Joint research projects
1. Project: Use of acoustics to monitor the bottom of above-ground storage tanks
Partners: Tisec Inc., Montreal; Material Science & Technology Division, National Metallurgical Laboratory, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Jamshedpur; Samro International, New Delhi
2. Project: The use of biomimetic material to integrate and repair the human cornea
Partners: Evasight Instrument Inc., Ottawa; University of Ottawa Eye Institute; Reddy Campus, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad; Polymer Tech International, India
3. Project: The use of transponders to track the flow of vehicles and use the information to manage traffic flows and reduce fuel consumption
Partners: Ipico Inc., Burlington; McMaster University, Hamilton; Indian Institute of Technology Delhi; Strategic Consultants, New Delhi
4. Project: The creation of a common modelling and simulation tool to test multiple aircraft and air-related equipment for a new generation of regional aircraft.
Partners: CAE Inc., Saint-Laurent, QC, National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore; Macmet Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore
5. Project: The design of an interoperable geoportal product that permits the transfer of spatial data infrastructure across different computer platforms and portal products
Partners: CubeWerx Inc., Gatineau, QC; Infotech Enterprises Ltd., Hyderabad, India
6. Project: The development of a simple diagnostic tool for use on the farm or feedlot to test dairy and cattle for diseases such as bovine respiratory disease and mastitis
Partners: Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon; Safeguard Biosystems, Toronto; BAIF Development Research Foundation, Pune; Vetnex Livestock and Canine Business, RFCL Ltd., New Delhi
7. Project: The use of biofuels in aircraft gas turbine engines made from Canadian and Indian feedstocks
Partners: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp., Longueuil, QC; McGill University, Montreal; Université Laval, Quebec City; Ryerson University, Toronto; National Research Council, Ottawa; Infotech Enterprises Ltd., Hyderabad
8. Project: The development of technology that permits broadband internet access on existing power line technology in India
Partners: Corinex Communications Corp., Vancouver; Maple Leaf India Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi; Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad
