Introduction
The ever-accelerating spread of new technologies in a competitive environment worldwide makes it imperative for identifying new ideas and technologies at their source in the scientific world, carried forward by technological research, innovation and piloted into commercial production-development phase.
India is making its way as a major center for cutting-edge research and development (R&D). Realising that innovation is the engine for national and global growth, employment, competitiveness and sharing of opportunities in the 21st century, the Government of India (GOI) has declared 2010-2020 as the 'Decade of Innovation'.
Indian R&D Sector Makes Mark Globally
- Chip-designer Xilinx Inc has inaugurated its expanded facility in Hyderabad. "The facility, Xilinx's largest research and development centre outside the US, would continue to support all programmable technologies and devices," as per Moshe Gavrielov, President and Chief Executive Officer, Xilinx Inc
- Bio-pharmaceutical and health science sector representatives from the UK are willing to expand partnerships with Indian companies. "The UK-India Innovation and Leadership Meeting will be held at IIM, Bangalore, on March 5 and 6 to encourage IP-protected research and innovation in health science, explore entrepreneurial opportunities," as per Ian Felton, British Deputy High Commissioner, Bengaluru
- A company that employs a number of researchers to work on a complex problem can now outsource it to scientists and researchers from top Indian academic institutions. Xerox India Research has brought together top-notch scientists, along with the company's researchers and engineers, to work on complex projects
- A project funded by the Research Council of Norway, involving a R&D company Elkem Labs from Norway, Titan Energy Systems Ltd and Dr B V Raju Institute of Technology located in India is seeking to test the feasibility of a cost effective solar grade silicon for use in solar modules
- Two Indian-American students figure in the list of 30 students who have been invited by the White House to acquaint US President Barack Obama on their breakthrough research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The two students-Shree Bose and Anand Srinivasan-have been invited by the White House along with winners of other national level science competitions
- The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) in partnership with the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) will conduct a workshop on 'Preparing for climate change on marine systems in Australia and India' from March 6 - March 10, 2012 in Kochi. The workshop is funded by the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund
R&D- Key Developments and Investments
- Cornstarch, a low-on-nutrition cooking ingredient, is being used by a specialised team at Tata Motors to make body parts for cars. "At any given point of time, R&D is working on several ideas, for the future. This is one of them," according to a Tata Motors spokesperson
- Ideas from Indian students like a phone that senses emotions, a Braille display that refreshes on its own, and an algorithm that allows one to shoot videos even while on the move, flowed at the Samsung Innovation Awards conducted at IIT-Delhi
- The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), which will soon be operational in the next financial year, will enhance the strategic research and innovation capacity of biotech companies - especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs) - in India. "SMEs in biotech are doing well in R&D and product development. Some SMEs, strong in innovation and R&D, have even been acquired by large companies," added Mr S R Rao, Adviser to the Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
- Covidien, a US-based manufacturer of medical devices and pharmaceuticals, has set up its first R&D centre in India. "The Hyderabad centre will enable us to improve product time to market and create valued-innovation," as per Robert Frechette, Vice-President (Engineering Services), Covidien
- Global biotech major Novozymes has partnered with Bengaluru-based biotech start-up-Sea6 Energy-for exploratory research and to jointly develop a process for the production of biofuels from seaweed. "In our partnership with Novozymes we look forward to developing an efficient enzymatic process to convert seaweed to sugar," according to Shrikumar Suryanarayan, Chairman, Sea6 Energy
- Turkey's Karel Electronics R&D centre has announced that it has entered into a technology-cum-financial tie-up with the Ahmedabad-based Intellicon Pvt Ltd, for providing customised security solutions to retail buyers ranging from residential to small and medium enterprises (SME) in India
- SKF, a provider of automotive and industrial engineered solutions, has inaugrated its Global Technical Centre (GTCI) in Bengaluru, India. The company has invested Rs 50 crore (US$ 9.86 million) to build the centre. "India is an important market for us," as per Tom Johnstone, President and Chief Executive Officer, SKF
- US-based Online Resources Corporation (ORCC), a provider of software and applications that enable online transactions, is setting up its R&D centre in Bengaluru, as a part of its plans to expand its services to the Asia-Pacific regions
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