India-French Technology Can Lead to Inclusive Growth – Jaipal Reddy

Mr. S Jaipal Reddy, Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences said that the new initiatives in the India-France technology cooperation would provide new opportunities for both countries to commercially exploit the research and development and to increase its application for inclusive growth.

While inaugurating the India-France Technology Summit, organized by Department of Science and Technology, CII and French Embassy in the capital today, Mr. Reddy said that the leadership of France in technology could combine with entrepreneurial innovations of  India to create newer products and concepts that could be put to use in both the countries for each other’s advantage.  In this regard, he referred to the unprecedented focus on innovation and  R&D in the 12^th Five Year Plan of India, which have to be implemented through public private partnership. He invited French companies to take advantage of the new eco-system in India that focuses on R&D and innovation.

Referring to the Indo-French Agreement for Promotion of Technology signed in 1966 and reviewed in 1978, the Minister said that this would  be a major institutional framework for promoting bilateral research and innovation.  This cooperation, he said, has led to a few path – breaking innovations and said that more could be done within the framework of the agreement.

Mr.  Reddy said that the difficulties in the euro zone and global slowdown did not affect the Indo-French trade. India’s exports to France have increased by 12 per cent whereas French exports to India have gone up by 8 per cent.  Automobiles, aerospace, electronic, pharmaceuticals , energy etc are the major areas of cooperation between the two countries.  India has declared a decade of innovation primarily to achieve the targets of inclusive growth.  For reaching this milestone set by India, a more proactive and need based technological collaborations between the two countries are important.

The Minister underscored the initiatives between Department of Science and Technology and CII primarily to promote investment in R&D in the Indian industry and also to create an eco system for research and development through the PPP model. There is also similar arrangement between Department of Bio-technology  and CII to promote innovations in biotechnology.  In this regard, he said that expertise of France could combine with India’s entrepreneurial talents to convert R&D efforts into   commercially viable projects.  The Technology Development Board of India also has initiated a number of programs for linking clusters in the embedded software as also auto components clusters.

In his message to Technology Summit, Mr Francois Hollande, President of French Republic, which was read out by French Ambassador to India Mr. Francois Richier, said that “French companies have heavily invested in India over the past few years; they have brought with them know-how and technology; they are developing research centres in India, in certain cases, with an international outlook.  Numerous cooperation agreements have been signed between public and private research organizations”.   He further added “Our cooperation is an asset for both our countries. The future is no longer made up of countries that invent, on the one hand, and countries that manufacture, on the other. Similarly, there will no longer be researchers and laboratories on one side and entrepreneurs on the other.  The reality is far more complex in both France and India. This is what the India-France Technology Summit in Delhi illustrates.  I, therefore, think that the time has come to inaugurate a new chapter in our scientific and technological relations.  This requires the establishment of pathways between universities, research institutes, competitive clusters and companies – including SMEs and SMBs,” he added.

Mr Roget Genet, Director General, Head of DGRI, Ministry of Higher Education and Research, Government of the French Republic, said that the French industrial policy would be strengthened by 34 initiatives aiming at gathering researchers, engineers, designers and entrepreneurs to increase public private partnerships towards tomorrow’s products and inventions. Among those initiatives, more than 10 are in the field of energy efficiency and about 5 in biotechnology and health. He also mentioned that 26 of those new initiatives are in the scope of India-France technology Summit. A large majority of the listed French groups participating at the summit have also opened R&D laboratories in India.

Dr T Ramasami, Union Secretary, Department of Science and Technology said that 23 round tables to be held during the summit would cover a wide sector of areas that are relevant to both India and France. “The joy of collaboration is in converting research findings into tangible results. This is where the industry, academia and research organizations from both countries to work together,” he added.

Mr. Dhruv Sawhney, Co-Chairman, Indo-French CEO Forum and Past President , CII underscored the need for reverse innovation, which would mean that the French could look at marketing goods in India at affordable rates. He mentioned about ECG machines that were produced in India at one-tenth of the price of the prices available abroad. He also wanted India and France cooperate in producing goods that could be marketed in third countries and to focus more on security and defense products.

T Mr. Venkatesh Valluri, Chairman-CII National Committee on Technology & Chairman & president, Ingersoll Rand India, stressed the need for Indo-French collaboration in promoting food technology in India especially in the light of Food Security Bill.  He identified water, healthcare, energy and agriculture as the focused areas for Indo French cooperation.

Mr. Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII, flag marked innovation programs which CII is implementing with the help of Department of Science and Technology particularly in the field of water.  Around 100 post doctoral scholarships are given by CII under GITA, he informed.

 

INDO-FRENCH TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT 2013 WITNESSES 11 MOUs IN THE FIELD OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY & EDUCATION

The India-France Technology Summit, organized by Department of Science and Technology, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and French Embassy today witnessed 11 Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) between India and France in the field of Science and Technology and Education.  The MOUs were signed in the presence of Mr S Jaipal Reddy, Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences.

1.     Signature of MOU between Department of Science and Technology and Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (INRIA), on Joint Targeted Program in Information and Communication Science and Technology.

2.     Signature MOU between Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and CNRSfor establishing an International Associated Laboratory in the area of Systems Immunology and Genetics of Infectious Diseases, LIA SIGID.

3.     MOU between SGRI and CEFIPRA for Habitat in hot and humid climate.

4.     Signature Letter of Intent to launch “The EADS-CEFIPRA Aerospace Program” between European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EADS) and The Indo French Centre for the Promotion of Advanced Research.

5.     Signature of MOU to set up an International Associated Laboratory on Transcriptomics and Metabolomics for Liver Diseases between the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research, INSERM and the Institute of Liver and Bilary Sciences, ILBS.

6.     Signature of MOU for International Joint Laboratory on Neuosciences, LIA PROTECT between IISc and INSERM.

7.     Statement of intent between Safran-Morpho (SMPL) and Gujarat Forensic Sciences University for Training, Research and  Development (GFSU), to explore the possibility of establishing cooperation through the program.

8.     MOU “ASTech-Systematic India Hub between ASTech Cluster, Systematic Cluster, Paris Region CCI,  India Desk and IFCCI.

9.     MOU for an institutional partnership between Sciences Po Paris and Ashoka University, covering undergraduate and postgraduate student exchange program and faculty exchange.

10.   MOU for a partnership awarding a double Master’s Degree between DTU, India and N+! Engineering Network, France.

11.   MOU for a partnership for Last Semester of Bachelor or Master as an international experience in France/India between BITS Pilani and N+1 Engineering Network, France.

India-CLMV partnerships will intensify in the new global business order: S R Rao

Bilateral business partnerships between India and the CLMV countries will intensify as these economies integrate with the global value chains. Stating this in his address at the valedictory session of ‘The Business Conclave: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam (CLMV)’ on ‘Creating New Economic Opportunities’, organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in New Delhi, Mr S R Rao, Commerce Secretary, Government of India, said that in the emerging global economic order, India could partner with CLMV countries in various value-added economic activities.

Mr Rao said that India could also provide the knowledge and expertise to the CLMV countries to strengthen their respective service sectors. He assured the visiting delegates from the CLMV countries that India will complement and not compete with the CLMV economies. He expressed hope that the India-ASEAN FTA in trade in services and investment will be concluded by December this year.

Mr Rao also informed that Mr Anand Sharma, Minister of Commerce & Industry. Government of India, has evinced keen interest in making this business conclave an annual event.

Mr Kikeo Chanthabury, Head of Cabinet Office, Ministry of Planning & Investment, Lao PDR, invited Indian business to tap the vast opportunities investment in Lao PDR. Stating that India is currently the 10^th largest investor in the country, he expressed hope that India would move into the top 5 bracket in the coming years. He made a special mention of hydropower development as a key investment opportunity for Indian companies. Lao PDR has hydropower capacity of 26,000 MW, whereas the installed capacity is just 7,000 MW as of now. 

Mr Chanthabury urged the Indian public sector enterprises and financial institutions to back Indian  private companies in Loa PDR, and added that greater private investments will also pave the way for improved connectivity between the two regions.

Mr Hou Taing Eng, Secretary of State, Ministry of Planning, Cambodia, invited Indian companies to invest in four key pillars of development of Cambodian economy – roads, energy, electricity and water supply, and human resources development.

Mr Sanjay Kirloskar, Chairman CII-ASEAN & ANZ Regional Committee, underlined the importance of improving connectivity between India and CLMV countries. He said the conclusion of the India-ASEAN FTA in trade in services and investment will provide significant impetus to India-CLMV bilateral trade and investment flows.

Mr Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII, said in his opening remarks that businesses on both sides will benefit if an India-CLMV Forum can be set up. He said that CII will consider sending sector-specific business delegations to the CLMV countries to leverage the emerging bilateral partnership opportunities. 

The government officials and industry representatives from CLMV countries and participants from Indian industry highly appreciated the platform provided by the first ever India-CLMV Business Conclave. 

Public Private Partnerships are critical for Urban Development – Ms. Deepa Dasmunsi

21^st October,2013, Hyderabad: Confederation of Indian Industry, The Euro India Centre and European Business & Technology Centre in partnership with Government of Andhra Pradesh today organized the 6^th Euro India Summit focusing on the theme of “Greening Cities” with the need to improve the quality of life and economic competitiveness to make cities become more resource-efficient and environmentally friendly.

The Greening of Cities attains importance in the context of rapid urban expansion which is taking place in India in general and all over the world in particular making it imperative for all policy makers to focus on growth of cities in sustainable manner. The megatrends of urbanization, climate change, globalization and demographic change will shape the future of cities.

Ms. Deepa Dasmunsi, Minister of State for Urban Development Government of India during her address as Guest of Honor highlighted the current pace of Urbanization in the country and said private sectors need to come together and institutionalize the framework to work collaboratively to ensure inclusive urbanization and added that the  urban sector will play a critical role in the structural transformation of Indian economy and in sustaining high rates of economic growth. She mentioned that  urban development is a State subject as different states have their own policies, hence we need to focus on reforming governance and entrust more responsibilities to the local bodies build more local expertise to improve service delivery.

Mr. M Maheedhar Reddy Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development, Government of Andhra Pradesh, in his inaugural address, threw light upon key initiatives undertaken by Government of Andhra Pradesh and said the percentage of urban population to total population in Andhra Pradesh reached 33.49% in 2011 as compared to 27.3% in 2001. There are many initiatives like Preparation of City Sanitation Plans, Service Level Benchmarking of Urban Services, Jawarharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission, Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority Master Plan, Integrated Township Policy and Hyderabad Metro Rail Project etc taken up by Govt of AP which will make the city more resource efficient and environment friendly.

Mr. Arun Maira, Member, Planning Commission, Government of India, in his keynote address talking about various dimensions to Architectural Governance as a solution to the challenges towards building greener cities and said “Solutions developed locally are more contextual and more appropriate to pursue sustainable development in respective cities. We need to build lateral networks to learn from each other and improve capability and reform the role of the center and instead enable local bodies to manage produce better results. If we were to build urban transport system, learning and implementation has to be simultaneous so that we don’t wait for years together to learn capacity building.”

Mr. H.E. Joao Cravinho, Ambassador – Delegation of the EU to India shared his perspective on global approach towards sustainable urbanization and said, “Local concerns and Global concerns are two faces of the same coin which needs to be combated. Cities being places of connection which function as centre of services, constantly under the pressure of economic growth should be equipped to provide healthy mobility of people and business. This gathering today opens doors and paves way to enhance cooperation and knowledge sharing and create fruitful partnership between Europe and Hyderabad to make cities more capable and resourceful.”

The other sessions for the day focused on – Smart and Inclusive cities, Waste Management, Sustainable Urban Mobility, Energy Efficiency and Security and Human Resource and Capacity Building.

In a special discussion on “Municipal Governance in India and Europe”, Mr. Francisco Javier Leon de la Riva, Mayor, Vallodolid (Spain) and European Delegation Leader spoke about the need for smart cities. “Intelligent public administration and energy efficiency policies and having a proper communication networks with its citizens would be leading to smart cities”.

The seminar was attended by around 300 delegates comprising of the visiting European dignitaries, various senior Government officials across the country, and the industry.