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India

 India is among the fastest growing economies in the world, having made remarkable progress in the areas of food production, industrial development, information technology, and energy generation.  Science and technology play a key role in the country's socio-economic advancement, with recognised strengths in basic research, agriculture, health care, chemical and pharmaceuticals, defence,  biotechnology, information technology and oceanography.  Home to the second largest population in the world, India is committed to international science and technology cooperation and strengthening its research and innovation base in order to prepare and meet its environmental, economic and social challenges of the new century.

The Royal Society aims to extend its policy work with India, concentrating its activities on high-flying scientists, promoting policy discussions, and strengthening its network of Indo-UK contacts, links and dialogue in all areas of science.  In order to stimulate stronger interaction and collaboration between UK and Indian scientists, the Royal Society works closely with the UK Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Science and Innovation Network and British Council offices in India, the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Indian Department of Science and Technology (DST).

Through funding from DIUS and DST, the Royal Society arranges special networking activities aimed at strengthening existing Indo-UK links, developing new collaborative opportunities and promoting policy discussions in specific areas of science.  These include stem cells, energy, environment, infectious diseases, drugs development, industrial application and bio-nanotechnology.  Past and forthcoming events include:

• Indo-UK Stem Cells Workshop (April 2005)
• Indo-UK Climate Change meeting (January 2006)
• Indo-UK nanotechnology meeting (November 2006)
• UK participation in India R&D 2006 'Mind to Market' (December 2006)
• Visit of the President of the Royal Society to India to deliver the Blackett and Rajiv Gandhi Science and Technology lectures (January 2007)
• AOUDA:  an EU-funded network of EU and Indian partners, to Observe and Understand Different Approaches in Euro-Indian research programmes.
• UK-India Frontiers of Science meeting (March 2008)

For more information on the Royal Society's engagement with India, please contact the International Policy Section.