The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has been apprised of the Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) between Department of Science & Technology (DST), India and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Germany on Indo German-Centre for Sustainability (IGCS). The JDI was concluded on 30th May, 2017 in Germany during the fourth Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) between India and Germany between Prime Minister of India and the German Federal Chancellor in Berlin. The JDI was signed by the Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, India, Dr Harsh Vardhan and Germany’s Minister for Education & Research Prof. Dr. Johanna Wanka.

The objective of the JDI on IGCS is to promote cooperation between German and Indian scientists on fundamental and applied scientific research. It includes areas such as policy support, teaching, training and dissemination of information in the area of sustainable development and climate change through inter-disciplinary/trans-disciplinary research. The IGCS will nurture future collaboration by widening the network with other Universities, Institutes and industries both in India and Germany. On the Indian side, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras will act as the host institution for IGCS.

Under this JDI, the required institutional framework will be developed to provide fund support to the IGCS at IIT, Madras by DST and BMBF. DST will provide grant-in-aid support to IGCS for undertaking research in the areas of climate change for sustainable development. DST and BMBF will jointly support the IGCS for a period of five years starting from January 2018.
 

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AKT/VBA/SH