India-Belarus Science and Technology Cooperation

India and Belarus concluded an inter-governmental agreement for Cooperation in Science & Technology in 1992 right at the time of establishing bilateral ties. Along with Russia, Belarus is one of India’s important scientific partners in CIS region.

The India-Belarus S&T Cooperation Programme is steered through a Joint Commission on Science & Technology. The Commission is co-chaired by Adviser and Head of International Cooperation of Department of Science and Technology (DST) from India and Vice Chairman, State Committee on Science and Technology (SCST) from Belarus.

The 9th meeting of the Joint Commission was held virtually on 5 Aug 2020. Under the framework of the Commission, the two sides cooperate through joint research projects and bilateral workshops.

The following areas have been identified for cooperation: (i) Energy; (ii) Information and Communications Technologies; (iii) Biotechnology, Medicine and Pharmacy; (iv) Agro-technology and Food Security; (v) Clean Technology for Environment and (vi) Materials Sciences & Metallurgy.

An agreement on cooperation on science and technology was signed in 2017, between the Indian National Science Academy and the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. Under this agreement, INSA and NASB support workshops/seminars/webinars and exchange of researchers in mutually agreed areas, to facilitate Indian and Belarusian scientists to submit joint research proposals to DST and SCST, for joint funding.

An MoU was signed between the International Center for Advanced Research of Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI) and the State Institution “Belarusian Institute for System Analysis and Information Support of the Scientific and Technical Sphere” BELISA for cooperation in the scientific, technical and innovation areas.

Recent developments and Prospects:

At the last meeting of the Joint Commission in 2020, the following co-operation Mechanisms were agreed upon:

(a) Assisting organizations in enhancing opportunities for exchanges of S&T initiatives;

(b) Technology Transfer Intensification for creation of joint enterprises;

(c) Mutual co-operation for commercialization of technologies; and

(d) Assistance to Science Technology Parks on both sides for furthering co-operation.

The two sides agreed to launch a Joint Research call for proposals. Under this joint call (launched in July 2022), out of the common proposals received, several projects in areas such as ICT, new materials, Biotech and medicine have been jointly selected for funding during 2023-24.

In May 2023, a CSIR delegation, led by Secretary (DSIR) visited Minsk. The delegation held meetings with their counterparts from the National Academy of Sciences and the State Committee for Science and Technology of Belarus. Avenues for furthering closer cooperation, including through regular calls for proposals for joint projects were discussed.

February 2024