BRICS countries- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa agreed for co-investment of resources for supporting multilateral R&D Projects in mutually agreed areas.
They signed a joint Declaration called Moscow Declaration to this effect, at the 3rd Meeting of BRICS Ministers for Science, Technology and Innovation held at Moscow on 28 October, 2015.
This Declaration reflects BRICS partnership in addressing common global and regional socio-economic challenges, utilizing such drivers as science, technology and innovation (STI). BRICS STI Minister agreed on the collaboration for:
- Cooperation within large research infrastructures, including mega-science project coordination of the existing large-scale national programme of the BRICS countries
- Development and implementation of a BRICS Framework Programme for funding multilateral joint research projects, technology commercialization and innovation
- Establishment of BRICS Research and Innovation Networking Platform
BRICS STI Ministers also endorsed a BRICS Action Plan 2015-18 on BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation cooperation.
The Work Plan outline detailed modalities of BRICS collaboration in previously agreed thematic areas such as:
- Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Disasters led by Brazil;
- Water resources and pollution treatment led by Russia;
- Geospatial technology and its application for development led by India;
- New and renewable energy, and energy efficiency with focus on Solid-state lightning led by China.
This Work Plan also included few new areas for BRICS STI collaboration such as Material science including Nanotechnology and Photonics jointly led by India and Russia; Biotechnology and Biomedicine including Human Health &Neuroscience led by Russia or Brazil; Information Technologies and High Performance Computing led jointly by China and South Africa; Ocean and Polar Science and Technology led jointly by Brazil and Russia.
The 3rd BRICS S&T Ministers Meeting endoresed India’s proposal to host the BRICS Young Scientist Forum Secretariat in India with the Indian Department of Science and Technology as coordinating point. The idea of creation of BRICS Young Scientist Forum for youth engagement was mooted by the Indian Prime Minister in VIth BRICS Summit in Brazil in July 2014.
India’s proactive role in creation of this Forum has been noted with interest by the BRICS Leaders at the VIIth BRICS Summit held in Ufa, Russia in July 2015. It was also agreed to develop a dedicated Website for BRICS Young Scientist Forum with an interactive online component to broadcast opportunities and initiative for young STI community in the BRICS Region.
To take this initiative forward, India will be hosting the 5-day BRICS Young Scientist Conclave at National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) Bangalore during March 2016 with intent to create BRICS Young Scientists Corps. This event is seeking 50 to 75 young STI delegates from BRICS countries.
(Read – BRICS Science and Technology Ministers Meet)
The event will allow BRICS Youth connectivity & networking to harness their knowledge for resolving common societal challenges through research and innovation and strengthen advancement of skill & research competencies of youth primarily in the age group of 22-35 years drawn from Science, Engineering other allied disciplines.
