Australia pledges AUS$4 million for joint research with India on coronavirus

Australian government has pledged AUS$4 million for joint research with India on COVID-19. In the joint projects, researchers from both the nations would work together to advance COVID-19 screening and study future health effects of the virus, the Australian government said in a statement. In addendum to coronavirus, the projects would also cover a range of topics including risk management systems for farmers and renewable energy.

“The Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) has funded six new projects, including one to develop COVID-19 diagnostic technologies and another study of the longer-term effects on the hearts and lungs of patients who have recovered,” Australian Ministry of Industry, Science and Technology said.  

'Pleased with the project' 

Other projects include developing risk management system to protect farmers from disasters associated with climate change and demonstrate how food drying technology using renewable energy can reduce pollution in the food-processing sector. Australian Ministry of Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said she was pleased with the project and would enable both the countries to contribute to the global pandemic including “crucial screening and diagnostic testing.”

“The Australian Government remains committed to our strong, strategic relationship with India, which provides numerous economic benefits for both countries," she said. 

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Last month, Union Minister for Human Resource Development Ramesh Pokhriyal said that as many as 54 joint projects from Australian and Indian institutions have been initiated in less than a year since the launch of Scheme for Promotion of Academic Research & Collaboration (SPARC). The Minister also said they have started a short term India-centric courses related to Yoga, Ayurveda, Naturopathy, etc and hoped for Australia's participation. The SPARC is a scheme initiated by the ministry for improving the quality of higher education by way of internationalisation of higher education.

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