The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), Spain will soon begin joint research in the field of biotechnology.

The objective of the joint Indo-Spanish programme is to promote and fund market-driven research and technology development as well as to encourage partnerships and business-led R&D&I collaborative projects in the field of biotechnology.  The DBT has issued call for proposals from eligible scientists for this joint programme.  The joint call for proposals aims to launch ambitious joint projects of a high international standard between Indian and Spanish organizations. Potential projects will be funded by DBT in India and CDTI in Spain.

This call for proposals is a generic call open to collaborative R&D projects in all areas of biotechnology including health biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, nanobiotechnology, etc.  

Industry-driven and market-oriented R&D projects, joint technological co-operation projects between researchers and/or companies in India and companies in Spain consisting in the development or substantial improvement of new products, processes or services will be considered under this programme.

Eligible Spanish applicants from the industry are companies or Economic Interest Groupings (EIG) or consortia made up of at least two independent companies. Eligible companies shall be operating and registered in Spain and holding a valid Spanish company tax code (CIF). No minimum Spanish capital percentage ownership is required. Spanish subsidiaries of companies headquartered outside of Spain may also be eligible for support. As per CDTI's internal regulations, the Spanish consortia should be led by a Spanish Company. Collaboration with other entities such as research centres, technological centres, universities, hospitals and other R&D-performing organisations is permitted under CDTI's regulations, as subcontractors of the Spanish companies present in the consortia.  

The Indian side of the consortium can either be led by a company or a research institution. For company, it should be an Indian company registered under the Companies Act 2013 and in which 51% (or more) of the ownership is held by Indian citizens. Company should have in-house R&D unit recognized by DSIR or should have applied for the same.