India

1. Background and objectives

The main objective of the INDIA GATE project is to increase the S&T cooperation between India and the EU by creating a “one-stop shop” for funding opportunities that are available in India for European organisations. The S&T agreement between India and EU recognizes the mutual benefit of access to respective funding programmes, and while several initiatives exists to support Indian organizations’ participation in the Seventh Framework Programme, INDIA GATE aims to play a similar role for European organisations who wants to benefit from RTD funding sources from India. The INDIA GATE project will identify Indian research and innovation funding programmes, the obstacles that inhibit EU researchers and organizations from taking part in the identified opportunities and make the information available in a user-friendly manner to stimulate, encourage and facilitate participation.

The intention to create synergies between S&T initiatives is reflected in the Govt. of India’s XI Five-Year Plan (2007-2012) as well as in the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for Research & Technology Development; there has been several joint calls already launched. There are also many other funding programmes in India open for European organizations, most of them within the frame of bilateral agreements between individual EU Member States and India. The INDIA GATE project will play an important role in providing information on the current situation and feedback with suggestions on how to improve the current status.

The strategic objectives of INDIA GATE are to:

• Map and identify funding opportunities open for European organisations in India with a focus on their reciprocity character, rules of participation and funding rates
• Analyse the obstacles for participation with focus on their reciprocity conditions
• Review the bilateral agreements between EU Member States and India
• Improve the flow of information on programmes and funding opportunities (Initiatives of the Government of India, Bilateral Programmes) designed to support scientific and technological cooperation between the EU and India
• Enhance know how on cultural differences in business conduct and working style via an user friendly e-training
• Identify and demonstrate mutual understanding, interest and benefit in S&T cooperation between the EU and India
• Monitor the participation rate of European organisations in Indian funded programmes
• Develop feedback and recommendations for decision makers and provide expert input to the Joint Committee meetings
• Increase the mutual understanding of respective research systems

2. Implementation and dissemination activities

India Gate project starts with a review of the available funding opportunities and an analysis of the obstacles facing European organisations wanting to take part in Indian funded projects. The information will support the development of effective dissemination tools to be used in the dissemination strategy. A dynamic webpage will be developed and serve as a “one-stop shop” for information on Indian programmes open for European organisations with all relevant information available both in web format, e-training format and as downloadable material. Additionally, the participation rate will be monitored allowing providing expert input to decision makers and the Joint Committee.

Dissemination will serve to raise awareness among European stakeholders about the projects aims and objectives; to disseminate relevant and appropriate information; update stakeholders with pertinent news and opportunities; enhance the information flow; facilitate multilevel information exchange. The work is also to spread information to raise awareness in EU about Indian S&T programmes, to encourage participation of EU researchers in Indian programmes and to create synergies with other ACCESS4EU projects.

3. Expected impact

INDIA GATE was closely structured around the objectives of the call in order to maximise the impacts expected by the programme. As the main objective, INDIA GATE intends to increase the S&T cooperation between India and the EU by improving access to information on funding opportunities available in India for European organisations. It will identify Indian research and innovation funding programmes, obstacles for participation and make the information available in a user-friendly way to stimulate, encourage and facilitate participation of European researchers in those programmes. It will also monitor participation rate of European organisations to provide relevant information to decision makers on the actual current situation. The expected impact is to have an increased number of projects implemented by consortium composed of both EU and Indian partners, an increased mutual understanding, interest and benefits in S&T cooperation between EU and India, enhanced information flow between the two regions, improved know how in both regions on cooperation opportunities and enhanced capacity in both regions related to project development and implementation.

4. LIST OF PARTNERS

• Agency for the Promotion of European Research, APRE, Italy
• Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, FORTH, Greece
• Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, CSIR, India
• Europa Media, EM, Hungary
• EIRC Consulting Private Limited, EIRC, India
• The Brussels Enterprise Agency, BEA, Belgium
• Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, CITT, India

COORDINATOR
Name: Mrs Diassia Dimaggio
Phone: +39 06 48 93 99 93
Email: dimaggio@APRE.it