The Australian government on Thursday pledged an investment of $4 million for the joint research with India on COVID-19.
In the joint projects under The Australia-India Strategic Research Fund, scientists from both the countries would work together for the improvement of COVID-19 diagnosis and analyse the subsequent health effects of the virus on the heart and lungs of patients who have recovered from coronavirus disease.
Highlights:
- The Australian government has pledged $4 million AUD for joint research with India on COVID-19.
- A total of six new projects have been funded under The Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF).
- The AISRF is Australia’s largest fund dedicated to bilateral science collaboration.
The Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) has funded six new projects in addition to the research for COVID-19 diagnosis.
In a statement, the Department of Industry, Science and Technology said these projects will formulate risk management systems to safeguard farmers from catastrophe associated with climate change and manifest how food-drying technology using renewable energy can reduce pollution in the food production sector.
The Australian Government remains committed to a strong, strategic relationship with India
Australia’s Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Karen Andrews said that work in these important areas will be able to continue after significant delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement, Ms Andrews said, “This latest funding will enable Australian and Indian researchers to contribute to the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including in crucial screening and diagnostic testing,”
“As a result of our shared commitment to finding answers through science and technology, India and Australia have tackled a number of shared challenges since the AISRF was established in 2006, with important progress made in areas including agriculture, energy and health.”
Minister for Industry Karen Andrews in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra Source: AAP
She further added, “The Australian Government remains committed to our strong, strategic relationship with India, which provides numerous economic benefits for both countries.”
The Australian government in June 2020 announced it would commit $15 million to extend AISRF for another four years till 2024, bringing the total investment of nearly $100 million in funding for AISRF grants over a period of 18 years.
AISRF is also Australia’s largest fund dedicated to bilateral scientific collaboration and It has been contributing to establishing connections between Australia and India’s top universities, research institutions and end-users of scientific innovation.
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