MOEA Minister Shen Jong-chin (center) and ITRI Chairman Lee Chih-kung (second left) are joined by India-Taipei Association Director-General Sridharan Madhusudhanan (second right) at the signing ceremony for the memorandum of understanding Oct. 12 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of MOEA)

A memorandum of understanding on research cooperation and technological development was concluded by Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute and India’s Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Oct. 12 in Taipei City.
 
Under the pact, the two sides will collaborate on research in four main fields: biomedical technology, green energy, intelligent automation and smart machinery. They also plan to cooperate on cultivating research talents and conducting knowledge exchanges.
 
Following the signing ceremony, Minister of Economic Affairs Shen Jong-chin said the agreement will strengthen Taiwan-India ties and pave the way for local firms to raise their profiles in the South Asian country.
 
Such bilateral collaboration is in line with President Tsai Ing-wen’s New Southbound Policy. A key component of the government’s national development strategy, the policy seeks to deepen Taiwan’s agricultural, business, cultural, educational, tourism and trade ties with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand.
 
Equally ebullient on the memorandum is ITRI Chairman Lee Chih-kung, who said it will benefit development of the technology and manufacturing sectors of both sides, as well as spur Taiwan’s economic transformation and industrial restructuring. Another potential dividend is providing solutions for India’s environmental challenges related to air quality and water resources, he added.
 
Headquartered in northern Taiwan’s Hsinchu County, ITRI is a Ministry of Economic Affairs-backed nonprofit R&D organization established in 1973. Its brief includes advancing development in Taiwan’s key industrial sectors like electronics, machinery and semiconductors. (CPY-E)