Delhi, 4 August (H.S.): The Secretary of Science and Technology of the Philippines, Dr. Renato U. Solidum Jr., met with India’s Minister of State for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, to enhance India-Philippines scientific collaboration, following the recent signing of the “Programme of Cooperation (PoC)” for 2025–2028. This meeting aimed to translate the PoC’s broad cooperation into concrete projects, focusing on immediate priority areas such as geo-spatial technologies and the blue economy, essential for disaster management and environmental monitoring.

Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted the importance of the Philippines’ participation in the India-ASEAN Science and Technology framework, fostering stronger bilateral ties through fellowship programs and joint events. He identified agricultural biotechnology, geospatial technology, and disaster risk mitigation as prime areas for collaborative research.

Additionally, he noted India's National Geospatial Policy 2022, emphasizing the establishment of a topographical survey and digital elevation model by 2030, and openness to sharing expertise with the Philippines.The meeting underscored the necessity of regular India-Philippines Joint Committee meetings to oversee PoC project implementations, covering eight thematic areas such as AI, energy storage, and ocean sciences. Agreed mechanisms for joint research, scientist exchanges, capacity-building programs, and sharing scientific data were also discussed, encouraging joint project proposals aimed at creating new knowledge and commercially viable technologies.

The agreement also outlines provisions for funding, exchange visits, intellectual property rights protection, and annual joint workshops, aiming to enhance responsiveness to emerging scientific challenges. Dr. Jitendra Singh expressed optimism that this engagement would foster a focused and outcome-driven partnership, delivering economic and societal benefits. Senior officials, including Dr. Rajesh S Gokhale and Dr. M. Ravichandran, also participated in the discussions.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar