BRICS Countries Signed Moscow Declaration for Supporting Multilateral Science Projects
BRICS Countries- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa Signed
Moscow Declaration for Supporting Multilateral Science Projects
BRICS countries- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa agreed for co-investment
of resources for supporting multilateral R&D Projects in mutually agreed
areas. The Indian delegation led by
the Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh
Vardhan, signed a joint Declaration called Moscow
Declaration to this effect, at the 3rd Meeting of BRICS Ministers for Science, Technology
and Innovation held at Moscow on 28 October, 2015.
This Declaration reflects BRICS partnership in
addressing common global and regional socio-economic challenges, utilizing such
drivers as science, technology and innovation (STI). BRICS STI Minister agreed on the collaboration for: (i)
cooperation within large research infrastructures, including mega-science
projects; coordination of the existing large-scale national programme of the
BRICS countries; (ii) development and implementation of a BRICS Framework
Programme for funding multilateral joint research projects, technology
commercialization and innovation; (iii) establishment of BRICS Research and
Innovation Networking Platform.
BRICS STI
Ministers also endorsed a BRICS Action Plan 2015-18 on BRICS Science, Technology and
Innovation cooperation. The Work Plan outline detailed modalities of BRICS
collaboration in previously agreed thematic areas such as Prevention and
Mitigation of Natural Disasters led by Brazil; Water resources and pollution
treatment led by Russia; Geospatial technology and its application for
development led by India; New and renewable energy, and energy efficiency with
focus on Solid-state lightning led by China. This Work Plan also included few
new areas for BRICS STI collaboration such as Material science including
Nanotechnology and Photonics jointly led by India and Russia; Biotechnology and
Biomedicine including Human Health &Neuroscience led by Russia or Brazil;
Information Technologies and High Performance Computing led jointly by China
and South Africa; Ocean and Polar Science and Technology led jointly by Brazil
and Russia.
The 3rd BRICS S&T Ministers Meeting
endoresed India's proposal to host the BRICS Young Scientist Forum Secretariat
in India with the Indian Department of Science and Technology as coordinating
point. The idea of
creation of BRICS
Young Scientist Forum for youth engagement was mooted by the Indian Prime
Minister in VIth BRICS
Summit in Brazil in July 2014. India's proactive role in creation of this
Forum has been noted with interest by the BRICS Leaders at the VIIth BRICS Summit held in Ufa, Russia in
July 2015. It was
also agreed to develop a dedicated Website for BRICS Young Scientist Forum with
an interactive online component to broadcast opportunities and initiative for
young STI community in the BRICS Region. To take this initiative forward,
India will be hosting the 5-day BRICS Young Scientist Conclave at National
Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) Bangalore during March 2016 with intent to
create BRICS Young Scientists Corps. This event is seeking 50 to 75 young
STI delegates from BRICS countries. The event will allow BRICS Youth connectivity &
networking to harness their knowledge for resolving common societal challenges
through research and innovation and strengthen advancement of skill &
research competencies of youth primarily in the age group of 22-35 years drawn
from Science, Engineering other allied disciplines.
As outlined in the
BRICS Action Plan 2015- 16, a series of of sceintific
events will be orginased in 2015-16:
· Holding of
BRICS Working Group on Geospatial Technology Application for Development (March
2016, India);
· Holding the
2nd Meeting of the BRICS SSL Working Group (November 2015, China);
· Holding the first
Meeting of the BRICS Astronomy Working Group (December 2015);
· Holding annual
conference “Innovative materials for energy and water saving and environmental
protection, new trends in the technological development” (Russia)
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