The Hindu Business Line : US students, researchers to start coming to India from 2009

Hyderabad, Nov. 27 Come 2009, a new trend is set to begin in Indo-US science and technology relations. It would no longer be a one-way street for students and researchers.

American students and researchers — to start with, at least 50 — are expected to come to universities and research institutes in India for a minimum period of six months.

A decision facilitating this, through the Research Internship in Science and Engineering (RISE) programme, would be announced soon by the Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSTF), according to Mr Arabinda Mitra, its Executive Director.

So far, it has been a rush of students from India, a large number of researchers going to the US for higher studies, or collaborative work. From 2009, a beginning to make it two-way will start, he told newspersons here on Thursday.

In the current year, a total of 90,573 students from India have joined academic institutions in the US. In the process, India has overtaken China which accounted for 81,000 students in the US. The Indian strength constitutes a sixth of the total foreign students and would contribute $3 billion to the US economy, Mr Mitra said.

growing synergy

Speaking at the Indo-US Conference on Bio Processes & Bio Products-Technology Trends & Opportunities organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Technology Information Forecasting, Assessment Council (TIFAC), Mr Mitra said there is a growing synergy between India and the US in science and technology.

For example, 36 per cent of the total scientific publications in joint collaboration by scientists from India involves US scientists and institutes. Similarly, around 150 US companies have established their research and development base in the country, Mr Mitra said.

IUSTF, which has been catalysing partnerships and projects between the two countries, is also setting up three more Centre of Research Excellence in the country.

Lockheed Martin-FICCI initiative:

In December, a new initiative to promote entrepreneurship would be launched by Lockheed Martin, FICCI, DST and IUSTF.

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