The Australian High Commission announced the bi-lateral agreement would fund 18 research projects co-hosted between 12 Australian universities and research houses and 14 Indian research institutions.
"India is a strong research nation in its own right and a rising scientific power. Both countries have much to gain from collaboration in science and technology," Australian Innovation Minister, Senator Kim Carr said.
“This funding will enable leading Australian and Indian scientists to combine their strengths and tackle big issues facing communities in Australia and India - such as growing healthy crops and protecting precious groundwater environments.”
The Australian and Indian governments are each contributing AUS$5m (€3.74m) to the projects under the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund.
Projects include:
· developing methods for the production of omega-3 concentrates for functional foods, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals
· development of a novel class of anti-cancer agents targeting the immune system
· design of malaria vaccines
· improving high-temperature tolerance in crop plants
· advancing ability to predict plant distributions under changed climates.
Other projects include nanotechnology, marine and earth sciences, biomedical devices and implants, and stem cells.
Institutions include the Indian Institute of Technology - Bombay, the Indian Institute of Science - Bangalore, Raman Research Institute, the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, James Cook University, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, the Australian National University, Melbourne University, the University of Western Australia and the University of Queensland.