Experts from the areas of Science and Technology from the member countries of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) discussed priority areas for the formulation of draft action plan on Scientific and Technological Cooperation in Priority Areas for the year 2022-2025 at the expert meeting of the SCO Member States.

All the member countries agreed to the Draft Action Plan on Scientific and Technological Cooperation for the year 2022-2025, which identified 4 priority areas as Emerging Medical/Biotechnology, Electronics, Energy, Modern Technologies for Precision Agriculture.

Shri S.K. Varshney Adviser and Head International Cooperation Division, Department of Science & Technology, who represented the Indian side, highlighted the importance of the SCO framework in promoting scientific, technical, and innovative cooperation among member countries.

He also informed the members about the SCO Young Scientists conclave held in India in November 2020, in which 65 members from SCO countries participated. “The Young Scientist Conclave gave visibility and strategic edge to countries by engaging with youth,” he said. He also asked the expert members to reflect upon the areas identified in the previous sessions of SCO meetings and then move forward to decide on scope and timeline for the current Draft Action Plan. 

The Expert Group discussed the implementation status of decisions of the 5th Meeting of the Heads of the Ministries and Agencies of Science and Technology of the Member States of SCO. They also coordinated the draft Action Plan in Priority Areas and agreed that the Technology Networks of priority areas in the SCO region are important to bridge the gap between all forms of research and humanitarian service sector.

During the meeting, the parties agreed to hold the 6th Meeting of Heads of the Ministries and Agencies of Science and Technology of the SCO Member States in April 2022.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was founded in 2001 by Heads of States of six countries, namely Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan joined in 2017. The main objective of SCO is the security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region.