India Urges SCO Nations to Foster Science, Technology & Innovation Partnerships for Enhanced Collaboration

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, urged the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to collaborate more closely in the fields of Science, Technology, and Innovation.

Speaking at the Seventh Session of the Heads of Ministries and Agencies of Science and Technology of the SCO Member States, representing India as the host country, Dr. Jitendra Singh expressed India's readiness to work closely with other SCO member countries under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He acknowledged and appreciated the efforts made by each member state to enhance cooperation within the SCO.

Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized that over the past two decades, the SCO has played a crucial role in transforming multilateral cooperation in the Eurasian region. India places special importance on the SCO's role in fostering such cooperation.

The Minister highlighted the shared challenges faced by SCO countries, including food security, climate change, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, affordable healthcare, environmental issues, and energy access. To address these challenges, he stressed the need for collaborative innovation and the development of affordable scientific solutions.

Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized the significant role that science and technology have played in global economic recovery during the pandemic. He called for cooperation among the scientific communities of SCO member countries to tackle social and economic challenges through technology-based solutions.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government of India has focused on innovative interventions for affordable healthcare. It aims to make India one of the world's leading markets in medical devices by 2047. India is following the mantra of "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan, and Jai Anusandhan" (Hail the Soldier, Hail the Farmer, Hail Science, and Hail Research), which emphasizes coordination across sectors to make India a global center for research and innovation.

Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted the significant increase in India's research and development (R&D) expenditure over the past seven years. In the current budget, the Ministry of Science and Technology has been allocated approximately Rs 16,360 crore (USD 2.20 billion). The Government of India has also recently established the National Research Foundation (NRF) with substantial funding to promote translational and interdisciplinary research, in addition to basic R&D activities.

India's focus on research and innovation has led to notable achievements, such as climbing to the third position in scientific publications and witnessing a significant increase in the number of registered startups, from 400 to 97,000, in the past eight years. India also ranks third in terms of the number of PhDs, the size of its higher education system, and the number of startups.

The Government of India has launched several flagship initiatives, including the National Mission on Cyber-Physical Systems, Quantum Computing, National Mission on Supercomputing, and the Deep Ocean Mission, to strengthen scientific leadership in emerging areas of science.

Dr. Jitendra Singh reiterated India's commitment to environmental and climate issues. India has launched initiatives like the National Hydrogen Energy Mission to achieve its commitment to net zero emissions by 2070 and fulfill 50% of its energy requirements from renewable sources by 2030. The Minister expressed India's commitment to balanced and integrated collaboration in the fields of science, technology, and innovation. He emphasized that all citizens, across all territories, deserve to benefit from the advancements of science.

Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized the importance of implementing science and technology mechanisms for sustainable development and improving the quality of life. He conveyed India's strong desire to strengthen cooperation within the SCO in the spheres of science, technology, and innovation, which directly impact the welfare and progress of all member states.

(Source: PIB)