VZCZCXRO6199
RR RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD
DE RUEHNE #1017/01 0991122
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 081122Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1266
INFO RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 2051
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 2752
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 1857
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 8620
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 4382
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
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RUCPDC/NOAA NMFS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 001017 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR G, OES/PCI, OES/STC, OES/SAT, OES/EGC, AND SCA/INS 
STATE FOR STAS 
STATE PASS TO NSF FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV ENRG TSPL TRGY KSCA KGHG IN
SUBJECT:  S&T ADVISER TO SECSTATE DISCUSSES INDO-US SCIENTIFIC 
COLLABORATIONS AND INDIA'S FUTURE S&T INVESTMENTS WITH SECRETARY, 
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 
 
NEW DELHI 00001017  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  Dr. Nina Fedoroff, S&T Adviser to the U.S. Secretary 
of State and the AID Administrator, met with Dr. Thirumalachari 
Ramasami, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST), 
Ministry of S&T, Government of India (GOI) during her visit to India 
in February 2008 to assess the status of Indo - U.S. S&T 
collaborations and discuss India's future plans in S&T R&D.  Dr. 
Ramasami observed that the Indo-US S&T Forum (IUSSTF) is performing 
well within its limited scope and funding.  He suggested that for 
more productive Indo-US R&D collaborations and to involve industry, 
the new S&T Commission should have a broader mandate with higher 
level of funding.  He highlighted how India is trying to balance 
between accelerated growth and inclusive growth.  India has already 
budgeted funds worth USD 3.5 billion for capacity building and 
creation of new centers of excellence during the eleventh five-year 
plan period (2007-2012) to focus in areas like biotechnology, 
nanotechnology, design, instrumentation, environment and energy. 
The expectation is that these centers would nurture local talent and 
find solutions to India's problems and lead the country towards a 
path of equitable and sustainable growth.  India is specifically 
looking for US expertise and cooperation in setting up these 
institutions.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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ASSESSMENT of the INDO US S&T FORUM 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶2.  Dr. Ramasami, who is also the Indian Co-Chair of the IUSSTF 
welcomed Dr. Fedoroff (SciCouns and SCI FSN were are present) and 
said India looked forward to a higher level of engagement with the 
US in S&T and also to the operationalization of the S&T Commission. 
Dr. Fedoroff responded that she too wanted enhanced interaction with 
India and observed that before creating multiple forums for 
cooperation, the two sides should learn from the experiences of 
existing entities like the IUSSTF.  Dr. Fedoroff further added that 
as the Nominal Co-Chair of the IUSSTF, she was keen to have the 
Indian view of the Forum.  Dr. Ramasami replied that the IUSSTF was 
working well for the level of funds committed to it.  The Forum 
facilitates many useful interactions between Indian and US 
scientists and academicians, through supporting workshops and 
conferences and, especially, providing fast and efficient travel 
support to the participants.  He also noted that most bilateral 
programs with other countries were handled by the government 
agencies in India.  Only in the case of US and France the 
interactions are handled by autonomous bodies like the IUSSTF. 
 
¶3.  The IUSSTF is a vehicle to attract experts, including Nobel 
laureates from USA, to visit India, motivate researchers and 
initiate new activities in India.  Further, the GOI has leveraged 
these interactions through IUSSTF to fund 25 fellowships to the US 
to be administered by the IUSSTF.  GOI has also provided additional 
funds towards the operation of the IUSSTF and enabled travel for 
many young Indian researchers to the USA.  Thus the forum is serving 
a useful purpose as envisaged when it was launched to be an enabler 
of dialog between scientists and engineers of the two countries. 
However, with its limited mandate, it will be difficult to expect 
more out of the Forum. 
 
¶4.  Dr. Ramasami commented that the high level governing body set up 
for the IUSSTF by both India and US clearly conveyed the great 
importance the two countries place on it.  However, for the limited 
scope of activities of the IUSSTF, it was indeed an inefficient use 
and gross under utilization of the board member's time and 
expertise.  This also explains the lack of attendance of some the 
non-government board members at the IUSSTF annual meetings.  In view 
of this, a broader mandate and higher level of funding for the new 
S&T Commission would meet the expectations of a higher level of 
cooperation and strategic partnership as desired by the two 
countries.  Further, this would also make it more attractive to 
industry to fund collaborative research in areas of mutual interest. 
 Dr. Fedoroff added that since USG agencies control their funding, 
she would look into the feasibility of these agencies participating 
in the activities of the S&T Commission. 
 
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GOI'S AGGRESSIVE PLANS FOR CREATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
------------------------------------------- 
CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE AND CAPACITY BUILDING 
 
NEW DELHI 00001017  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
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¶5.  Describing India's future plans for investments in S&T, Dr. 
Ramasami stated that for the first time in its history, the country 
is in a position to plan and provide sufficient funds with a long 
term perspective of 15 to 25 years.  For example, India has tripled 
the S&T budget outlay from USD 5.9 billion in the tenth plan period 
(2001-2006) to USD 18.5 billion in the eleventh plan period 
(2007-2012).  In addition, GOI has allocated nearly USD 3.5 billion, 
a five-fold increase from present levels, to higher education. 
These initiatives are expected to be implemented with the 
cooperation of multiple agencies.  Some of the key agencies involved 
include the DST, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Council for 
Scientific Industrial Research (CSIR), Department of Information 
Technology (DIT) under the Ministry of Information & Communication 
and the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD).  This 
funding is directed towards capacity building for accelerated growth 
and to create centers of excellence.  (Note: It should be mentioned 
here that on 28 March 2008, MHRD Minister Arjun Singh announced the 
creation of four new Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and six 
new Indian Institutes of Management (IIM).  This is in addition to 
the four new IITs announced last year.  End Note.) 
 
¶6.  Dr. Ramasami said India especially looks forward to the US, a 
global leader in creating world class S&T R&D institutions, to help 
India.  India would like US experts to be involved in setting up and 
running of centers of excellence in various areas like 
biotechnology, nanotechnology, design, instrumentation, environment 
and energy.  Dr. Fedoroff responded that she would be glad to 
facilitate such an interaction.  Further, she added that the US was 
holding a Global Conference of University Presidents in late April, 
2008, to feature successful modalities of university-university 
cooperation around the globe, as well as leveraging advances in 
information and communication technology (ICT).  She noted that 
members of India's academic and scientific community would be 
invited to the meeting. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
CATCH THEM YOUNG IS THE NEW MANTRA OF GOI 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  Regarding the shortage of trained personnel in S&T and a large 
number of engineers and scientist taking up corporate jobs, Dr. 
Ramasami mentioned steps GOI is taking to stem this tide and attract 
more students to S&T R&D.  GOI has realized that mere allocation of 
resources for R&D is not sufficient as there aren't enough qualified 
takers for R&D project grants.  Hence the key to growth in S&T was 
not just allocation of financial resources but actually mobilizing 
human resources and making R&D in S&T an attractive career option. 
Dr. Fedoroff agreed and said that all nations were facing similar 
challenges. 
 
¶8.  New schemes to motivate and attract students right from school 
towards science and research have been initiated. They include: 
 
-  Providing thought-provoking science experimental kits worth USD 
125 (each) to one million children in the age group of 10-15, to 
awaken their curiosity and creative abilities and get motivated to 
study science and engineering. 
 
-  A program called "The Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired 
Research"(INSPIRE), which would provide 5 year scholarships for 
10,000 students when they graduate from grade X. 
 
-  "Scheme for Early Attraction of Talent for Science"(SEATS) in 
grade XII that will assure careers in science for at least 500 
talented students per year. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
INDIA ASPIRES TO BE A GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY LEADER 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶9. Dr. Ramasami further elaborated that all the new initiatives 
including funding for advanced infrastructure and capacity expansion 
in existing universities and R&D labs, enhanced government funding 
for R&D, the creation of new centers of excellence, schemes for 
innovation and entrepreneurship and the 'catch them young policy' 
for S&T R&D are geared towards fostering technology leadership and 
 
NEW DELHI 00001017  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
self sufficiency in several niche areas.  He further hoped that by 
the time the 'catch them young policy' participants evolve 
themselves as researchers and innovators, existing and new 
institutions would have fully geared up to engage them gainfully. 
This will help propel India to a position of technological 
leadership as it targets its evolution to become a developed nation 
by 2020. 
 
¶10.  Dr. Ramasami added that India would also welcome joint Indo-US 
advanced research centers in areas of mutual interest and India's 
participation in existing/planned centers of excellence in the US. 
Dr. Fedoroff said she would follow up in areas of mutual interest 
and expressed her appreciation to Dr. Ramasami for his review of the 
various facets of planning and implementation that the GOI is 
undertaking for S&T growth in India. 
 
¶11.  This cable has been cleared by Dr. Fedoroff. 
 
DEIKUN