India calls for BRICS involvement in multilateral funding for science, technology and innovation

Moscow, Oct. : Science, Technology and Earth Sciences Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan has said that India supports multilateral funding system which would provide the basis for announcing BRICS Call for Proposal to support multi-country research projects.He was addressing the 3rd Ministerial Meeting of BRICS – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) at Moscow today. He said active co-investment of resources including funds from each BRICS partner country in support of BRICS Call for Proposal is desired.He said that India attaches great importance to its engagement with BRICS which has emerged as a valuable forum for consultation, coordination and cooperation on contemporary global and regional issues of mutual interest.At today’s meeting India has supported creation of BRICS Research and Innovation Networking Platform (RINP) under which it expects a BRICS Innovation Corps to be created and that an inventory of innovative products, services and solutions would be maintained.India, he said, has also welcomed the proposed BRICS initiative on ‘Global Research Advanced Infrastructure Network’ (GRAIN).