Kapil Sibal Inaugurates 13th Technology summit

The Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Kapil Sibal has said that if the long-term goals are to be attained and growth and problem solving are to become indigenous and sustainable, developing countries need to develop their own capabilities in science, technology and innovation. Delivering the inaugural address at the 13th Technology Summit and Technology Platform in New Delhi today, he stressed the need to endeavour to democratize technology development and use and also to make it more participative and more inclusive. With globalization taking unprecedented progress, increased diffusion should lead to abatement of technological divide amongst nations. Setting the agenda for the Summit, Shri Sibal called for “Building Partnerships for Development” and “In co-operation with the private sector, making available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications”.

The Minister observed that the engine of economic progress in any country rides on four wheels, namely, Human Resources (Education, knowledge, skill, discipline, motivation etc), Natural Resources (Land, minerals, fuel, environmental quality etc), Capital Formation (Machines, factories, roads etc) and Technology (Science, engineering, management, entrepreneurship etc). Sharing with the audience the different views of technology the Minister emphasized the need to tame it.

Terming Science & Technology as the first level of interaction between alien countries, Shri Sibal said that India’s partnerships with different countries and organizations are progressing well. He also termed the long-standing relationship of India with Russia as another good example in this respect. The Summit is being attended by a large number of delegates both from India and abroad.

Technology Summit & Technology Platform is one of the major initiatives of Department of Science and Technology & CII to showcase premier technology knowledge of India & participating countries. The Summit provides a platform for symbiotic partnership in the technology arena for promotion of joint ventures, technology tie-ups and investment opportunities to & from partner/participating countries. In the past editions of the summit have resulted in technology collaborations, bilateral linkages and capacity building benefiting India and the Partner Countries.

Source : Press Information Bureau
Date : November 14, 2007