Summary Report
Japan-India Science and Technology Initiative Meeting

October 17th, 2006

• Japanese former Prime Minister Mr. Junichiro Koizumi visited India in April 2005 at the invitation of Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India. The two leaders recognized that the current international situation, characterized by inter-dependence and the advent of globalization, offered fresh opportunities to both Japan and India for the enhanced engagement for mutual benefit.
• The two leaders confirmed that Japan and India view each other as partners that have responsibility for, and are capable of, responding to global and regional challenges and, in view of the current international situation, decided to reinforce the strategic focus of the global partnership between the two countries.
• The two leaders also shared the view that Japan and India, recognizing the importance of science and technology cooperation as partners in New Asian Era, would work together to launch a new Science and Technology Initiative and would reinvigorate the Japan-India Joint Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation to explore possible substantial cooperation in areas such as modern biology, biotechnology, health care, agriculture, hydrocarbon fuels, environment, information and communication technology, robotics, alternative sources of energy, etc.
• According to the above, the 7th Joint Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation held in November 2005 in New Delhi after the interval of 6 years.
• Through the Joint Committee, both governments reviewed the overall situation on exchanges in the field of science and technology and studied the progress of joint projects. Also, at the Joint Committee, both governments decided to select 4 to 5 areas of cooperation under the new Science and Technology Initiative and to hold a joint workshop by the end of 2006 in Tokyo to materialize the decided possible cooperation.
• The Japan-India Science and Technology Initiative Meeting was organized at Mita Kaigisho in Tokyo from 16th to 17th October, 2006 with the mutual cooperation of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Japan, Japan Society for Science Promotion (JSPS), and Department of Science and Technology (DST) of India.
• The participants of the Initiative Meeting discussed the direction of science and technology cooperation, and came to share the common views as follows;
  1. It is expected that a variety of mutual interest will be gained from Japan-India science and technology cooperation in the fields such as Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, S&T for environment (for example, emission/ waste related), disaster reduction and space, through the policy dialogue of the Science and Technology Initiative Meeting.
  2. Through concrete discussion, the participants of the Scientist's Session in the Science and Technology Initiative Meeting have recognized mutual interest in the areas covering three broad groups namely, ICT, Life Sciences and Biotechnology and Nanotechnology and materials.
     • (1) Participants recognize that ICT has been a reliable tool of innovation to enhance social and economic development and also enabling technology for infrastructure of knowledge-based society in the 21st century (for example, e-Government, disaster reduction, environment monitoring, healthcare system, e-learning etc.). Presently, Japan with strong hardware technologies and India with strong software technologies are in a complementary relation.
       Participants recognize an importance of investigating the cyber infrastructure for social and economic development. Some of the areas identified are; 1) Information and communication security, 2) Sensor network technology, 3) Next generation Internet, and 4) Language processing technology.
     • (2) In the Biotechnology field, we recognize the development of Bio Informatics, Biomedical Sciences and Chemical Biology in the post-genome era of the 21st century. Genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics (Omics) including newly discovered "the Functional RNA world" should be developed. Clinical trials of potential drugs and medical devices (translational research) are other hopeful areas to be developed.
     • (3) Participants recognize that development of nanostructured materials for clean energy application is important. Fortunately, both countries have a strong basis in synthesizing various types of functional nanomaterials, including nonoporous materials, nanohybrid materials, nanofibrous materials and in characterizing those nanomaterials. Fusion of expertise in Japan and India in these areas will enhance further development, which will achieve sustainable environment.
     • (4) In order to promote the Japan-India cooperation in the above areas, the importance of exchange of outstanding scientists and networking in different ways (such as joint meetings, workshops and fellowships and various projects) has been recognized.
  3. In any one of the areas identified above for scientific and technological cooperation, both sides will consider developing joint programs on equal and partnership basis through some specific and time bound projects of common interest to both sides. One of the objectives of such programs will be finding cost viable high technology solutions for serving common people.
     (Way Forward: Joint call will be made soon after the formalization of decisions between the identified agencies. It is resolved that a vibrant cooperation in science and technology will commence during the next fiscal year.)
  4. The existing Joint Committee mechanism will provide the administrative support for the above cooperation.