Having already
achieved significant growth in scientific collaboration with
Germany, India has suggested that the two countries should now
take up major research and development programmes not only for
the benefit of the two peoples but the entire humanity. The
areas suggested include green technology i.e. development of
environment-friendly technologies, nanotechnology and hydrogen
energy as an alternative fuel source with global hydrocarbon
resources fast depleting.
Describing these
areas as very crucial for the survival of mankind, the Secretary,
Department of Science and Technology (DST) Prof. V S Ramamurthy
said, there is lot of scope for major collaborative efforts
in these fields with research already on in the two countries.
Prof. Ramamurthy was addressing here yesterday, a meeting organised
by DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service, co-inciding with
the visit of the German President Dr. Johannes Rau. The meeting
was also addressed by the German President.
Pointing out that
well-established mechanisms exist in the two countries for carrying
forward the scientific collaboration Prof. Ramamurthy also suggested
setting up of joint research centres in frontier areas of science.
Laying importance on academia-industry partnership, the DST
Secretary said that pre-commercialisation stage is very important
so as to build stronger bases. He also urged Germany to formalise
school level contact programmes, between the two sides.
The State Secretary
of German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Dr. Uwe
Thomas identified micro-electronics as another major area of
collaboration between the two sides to end US domination in
the field.
Dr. Wolfgang Wahister,
belonging to the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence,
gave a presentation and a demonstration on "speech understanding
computers as dialogue and translation assistants".
