Federal Secretary of State (independently responsible) for Science and Technology; Secretary of State (independent director) Earth Sciences; Doctor. Jitendra Singh, PMO, Staff, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, today highlighted Indo-Dutch cooperation in health and agriculture, two priority areas of the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that since Trinity Health, agriculture and water have been a stone for years. The basis of close mutual cooperation between India and Holland, Indo-Dutch cooperation can be developed into a model that others can follow.
The Minister spoke to a delegation from the Netherlands headed by Ambassador Martin van den Berg, who invited him to discuss and evaluate bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the field of science, technology and innovation.
The meeting was attended by the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Professor K. The Center for International Studies of International Relations and other senior ministry officials.
Doctor. Jitendra Singh said that scientific technology will shape the status and outlines of the future of the global economy, and India is ready to play a leading role in the community of nations. He said that India is emerging as a huge investment destination and also called on the private sector to seize this opportunity to improve relations in all walks of life as the two countries have deep historical and cultural ties.
Doctor. Jitendra Singh welcomed the Dutch proposal to work together on green hydrogen and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a “national hydrogen mission” to make India the global center in his speech on August 15, India’s 75th Independence Day. For the production and export of green hydrogen. Similarly, smart energy grids, functional materials, big data, and the Internet of Things have been supported for collaborative research and development.
Referring to Ambassador Martin Vanden Berg’s proposal for cooperation in ocean resources, the Minister announced that the Federal Cabinet led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had recently approved the proposal of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) for a ‘Deep-Ocean Mission’. It aims to explore the ocean depths in search of resources and develop deep sea technologies for the sustainable use of ocean resources at an estimated cost of Rs. 4,077 million dollars.
Doctor. Jitendra Singh also called the Netherlands for fruitful exchanges in the space sector, especially in the wake of India’s pioneering reforms in the recent past, giving the private sector a level playing field in satellite launches and space activities. The minister said that cooperation on innovations should boost our science economy, as our challenges and priorities are similar.
Ambassador Martin Vanden Berg in his speech referred to future collaborations in solar energy, gas utilities, cyber security, data science, urban water systems and emerging areas, which will create jobs for people in India. He said that institutional frameworks for cooperation already existed and that there was now a need to work effectively on the ground.
Ambassador Berg also highlighted climate change as a major concern to the entire world and said that India and the Netherlands can work in areas such as carbon sequestration through the public-private partnership model. He also stressed the need to address societal challenges through science and technology.
Collaboration in sports science is another area identified by both sides. Ambassador Berg said Dutch coach Schwerd Marjen has played an important role in the rise of the women’s hockey team in India.
(with PIB input)
