The Hindu Business Line : Corporate giants join hands for India-US research initiatives

Hyderabad, Dec. 8 IBM, Intel, Boeing, Lockheed Martin are among several large corporates supporting joint research initiatives between India and the US in high-tech areas.

Boeing, for example, has provided over Rs 3 crore to the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur to work on applications of radio frequency identification devices technology. Lockheed Martin, the aerospace giant, has joined hands with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST) to launch an initiative to promote entrepreneurs.

Intel Corporation, DST and Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) have also joined hands to promote technology entrepreneurs in 2007. Each partner will invest about Rs 2 crore. Two projects from India have recently been selected for funding under the public-private-partnership initiative.

Giving these details, the Executive Director of IUSSTF, Mr Arabinda Mitra, told Business Line here recently that the Indo-US Sub-Commission on science and technology co-operation will play a major role in taking up mega projects in the near future.

IUSSTF, formed in July 2000, has been able to get fund support from scientific establishments and industries from both countries, Mr Mitra said.

On the Lockheed Martin-FICCI initiative, he said about Rs 2.5 crore was expected to be funded by each partner annually. The Texas A&M University will evaluate projects and shortlist about 15 of the best ideas to be provided with funds every year. A venture capital firm would also be involved so that the commercialisation aspect is addressed, Mr Mitra said.

Among the large projects, the Indo-US Flux Programme, with a projected investment of up to Rs 200 crore, is expected to get under way. The National Oceanography Atmospheric Agency, US, and the Department of Earth Sciences, India, are involved.

The project involves establishing 50 towers across the country to measure trace gases, which have an impact on climate change, he said.

The Khorana Exchange Programme would be launched coinciding with the 82nd birthday of the Indian-origin Nobel laureate Dr Hargobind Khorana on January 9.

The University of Wisconsin, IUSSTF and the Indian Department of Biotechnology would be involved in the initiative.

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