Science, technology to be focus of India-Russia cooperation: Jaitley

Defence minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said India and Russia have resolved to ''place scientific and technological cooperation at the centre of future relationship''.

He was speaking in the Russian city of Novosibirisk where the Fifth International Forum for Technological Development (Technoprom) is being held.

Co-chairing the inaugural meeting of the India-Russia high-level science and technology committee with Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin, Jaitley said this new mechanism will further energise ''our partnership by opening up advanced areas of cooperation that will benefit our future generations''.

Technoprom, since its inception five years ago, has grown to become a leading international forum in the area of technology with over 50 business events and an impressive 6,000 participants, Jaitley said, adding, the focus this year is on breakthrough technologies in the scientific, technological and innovative fields.

With the two countries celebrating the current year as the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, Jaitley said ''for India, relations with Russia are a key foreign policy priority. Russia has been a trusted and time-tested partner''.

The defence minister invited Russian companies to come forward with proposals for technology transfer to Indian companies and facilitate manufacturing of more advanced components and parts and sub-systems. This can start with platforms of Russian origin where the requirement is in large numbers and is recurring in nature, he said.

Interestingly, he was speaking at the plenary session of Technoprom-2017 at Novosibirsk, where the theme was `Make in Russia: Double Purpose Industrialisation', on Wednesday.