India and Russia have decided to set up a Joint Centre for Transfer of Technologies evolved through their collaborative efforts, especially to developing and underdeveloped countries. The two sides have identified 80 new key projects for collaboration in frontier areas of science with some being in strategic fields. A joint center for Ayurvedic research and projects concerning mass-healthcare like the use of laser therapy in the treatment of tuberculosis and other chronic diseases are among the ones that have been given priority among the selected projects.

This emerged at a meeting the 20-member Russian delegation headed by academician F.A. Kuznetsov and the Minister for Human Resource Development and Science and Technology Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi here recently.

The new projects were approved and finalised at a meeting of the Joint Council of the Indo-Russian Integrated Long Term Programme of Cooperation (ILTP). The meeting also reviewed the progress made in the implementation of the 147 on-going projects and took policy level decisions to further widen the horizon of Indo-Russian Scientific Cooperation.

The Russian delegation apprised Dr. Joshi of the agenda before the Joint Council meeting and the new trends in Indo-Russian collaboration. Dr. Joshi told him that Indo-Russian scientific ties are not only important for the two countries but the entire world. He said some of the projects concerning mass healthcare like the use of laser therapy in the treatment of tuberculosis and other chronic diseases will be beneficial to the whole of mankind. Another important Indo-Russian venture of global importance is related to the integration of Russian seismic sensors with Indian digital recorders and stationing them at various sites of the India Meteorological Department for field observations.

The other Indo-Russian ventures include, installation field trials of a special press for synthesis of WBN-CBN (Boron Nitride) composite cutting tools and successful field trials of products; Development of streak cameras for visible range and X-ray; Commissioning of INDUS-I Synchrotron Radiation Sources at Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore; Development of Lasers for Industrial and Medical use; Development of porous silicon luminescent devices and detectors; Superplastic forming of advanced material dyes; Field testing of TACTICS imaging unit, a 9-pixel camera developed along with pulsed nitrogen laser calibration facility and drive system at Gurushikhar; Low Energy Gama Ray Experimental Payload by TIFR, Bombay which will be launched on-board Russian Sun-pointing satellite photon; Development of 10 MeV Linear Accelerator (LINAC) for industrial radiation application; Development of 20 MeV Microton and so on.

Already, India and Russia have set up several joint Centres of Excellence i.e., Indo-Russian Biotechnology Centre, Allahabad, Russian Indian Centre for Advanced Computing Research, Moscow; International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials, Hyderabad; and Bharat Immunological and Biological Corporation Ltd, Bulandshar. These centres work on specific areas in their respective fields. A Russian-Indian Centre for Ayurvedic research is also underway.