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Malaysia shows interest in Indian launch facilities
Malaysia will like to use launch facilities from India to launch its satellites into space in future, reports Satyen Mohapatra.
Malaysia will like to use launch facilities from India to launch its satellites into space in future ,said Malaysian Minister for Science,Technology and Innovation Jamaludin B Jarjis in the capital on Tuesday.
Malaysia's first astronaut will go into space in October next year from Russia and it would launch its satellite from the US, he pointed out.
JB Jarjis said traditionally ASEAN nations had never been looking towards India but always been looking towards the west Europe and US for technology.
That mindset was changing now with realization that the future growth lies in the east. With China, India, ASEAN half the world market is here, he said.
"Look at Bangalore for ICT, if you go the offices of Infosys, Microsoft there you seem to be not in India but in New York," he added.
"India has shown east can also prosper. Instead of sending our students to the west to get their PhDs from Indian professors why not we directly get it from professors in India?" he asked.
There is need for greater co operation and rapport between people of ASEAN countries and India.
"In Malaysia people stop watching football match to watch bollywood film" he added.
Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal said that closer ties with ASEAN would mean opening up of large markets on both sides, India would be able to service a lot of Defence equipments and also fulfil huge requirements in the sector of drug industry .
He said Railways has a huge market in the ASEAN region.
India's Tsunami Early warning system will be connected with that of ASEAN, Sibal added.
He said they were also planning to develop alternative certification mechanism from guidelines for drugs in this part of the world which would be cheaper than nearly $ 20 million one has to spend to get FDA clearance and also of a high standard acceptable throughout the world
Heads of S&T agencies in India and ASEAN have signed a joint declaration calling for the creation of an Indo-ASEAN Science and Technology Development Fund to collaborate in areas like biotechnology, agriculture , advanced material, pharmaceuticals.
They have also urged for the creation of an Indo ASEAN Institute for Intellectual Property, for building human resource capacity; create a Knowledge Grid for free flow of knowledge design harmonized regulatory standards for Biotechnology products and the agricultural processing industry in the region; hold regular Technology Summits and interaction of youth in ASEAN region.
