India-Sri Lanka science and technology cooperation

A joint India-Sri Lanka workshop titled “Update on clinical, diagnostic, chemotherapeutic and entomological aspects of leishmaniasis” was inaugurated at the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA), Colombo, on 25 March 2013. 

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Ministry of Technology, Research and Atomic Energy Secretary, Dhara Wijayatilake, Deputy High Commissioner, P. Kumaran, scientists, scholars and academics from India and Sri Lanka.

The three-day workshop was organised from 25-27 March 2013 as part of the agreed Program of Cooperation for India-Sri Lanka Science and Technology Cooperation. The workshop gave an opportunity to the delegates of both countries to assess each other’s capabilities and deliberate on future possibilities of working together in the field of leishmanaisis, a disease which is prevalent both in India and Sri Lanka.

This was the second such workshop organised by the two countries under the program of cooperation for Science and Technology for 2012-2014. The first workshop on “Transdermal drug delivery systems” was organised by the Indian side in February 2013 at Vijayawada (India).

India-Sri Lanka cooperation in the field of Science and Technology is an important component of our bilateral relations. The two sides have been cooperating in this field for several decades in a variety of fields. There has been a regular exchange of scientists, training, exploratory visits etc. Apart from cooperation in a bilateral framework, India and Sri Lanka are also cooperating in various activities under the umbrella of SAARC, BIMSTEC and the NAM S&T Centre.

S&T Cooperation between India and Sri Lanka received a boost following the visit of Department of Science and Technology Secretary Dr. T. Ramaswamy to Colombo in March 2010. The first meeting of the Joint Committee on Science and Technology was held in September 2011 at New Delhi and identified specific areas of cooperation, including food science and technology, nuclear technology applications, oceanography and earth sciences, bi-technology and pharmaceuticals, material sciences, medical research including traditional medicinal systems, spatial data infrastructure and space sciences. The two sides have thereafter short-listed 9 R&D projects and have agreed to conduct two workshops.

Being the second largest producer of scientists and engineers in the world, India is today well-positioned to make substantial contributions to the research and development (R&D) industry in the world. The Indian pharmaceutical industry is a success story today, with over 500,000 people employed in this sector, in about 12,000 firms.

Patent applications in India have witnessed a remarkable increase over the past five years. India already powers R&D programs of over 100 Fortune-500 companies and hosts R&D facilities of over 750 MNCs. Given the rising prominence of India as an R&D hub, experts are confident that this trend of over 20% annual growth will continue in the coming years.

The cutting edge research by Sri Lankan researchers in recent years is attracting interest in India. Last year, the Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology (SLINTEC) Pvt. Ltd. entered into a strategic collaboration with Nagarjuna Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited (NFCL) of Hyderabad, India, to develop the next generation of Nanotechnology-based plant nutrition solutions. These are next generation green products aimed at increasing productivity and income for farmers and creating a sustainable business for all the stakeholders engaged in agri-business.

As part of this strategic partnership, Nagarjuna is purchasing the 1st generation of nano plant nutrition products,  taking it from the proof-of-concept to proof-of-value for commercialisation stage, and entering into a long-term strategic technology development program with SLINTEC for the 2nd and 3rd  generation nano plant nutrition products.

The Government of India is committed to broadening scientific cooperation between the two countries, as one of the key pillars for bilateral cooperation for mutual benefit. The next meeting of the Joint Committee on Science and Technology is to be held in Colombo on 19 and 20 April, 2013. This will provide an opportunity to review ongoing cooperation and also look at specific areas to broaden cooperation.