India and Canada have invested $17 million in joint ventures in science and technology according to an agreement originally signed between the two countries in 2005.

Kapil Sibal, Indian minister of science and technology, and David Emerson, Canadian minister of foreign affairs and international trade, announced the launch of ten joint initiatives to create international research partnerships. They said that the proposed projects would boost the association between scientists in both the countries and commercialise their discoveries.

The proposed initiatives are in the field of agriculture, environment, food processing, health IT, energy, aeronautics, watershed management and partnership-development activities.

The University of Toronto will work together with Tata Institute of Fundamental Research on projects of mutual benefit for partnership-development activities. Canada India Foundation (CIF) will be actively involved in the project. Sibal said that the partnership will focus on developing low-cost and inexpensive technology to benefit the rural population.

The minister added that India would profit from Canada's expertise in the field of infrastructure, IT, agriculture, biotechnology and special technology in gaming activities. X

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