S&T Cooperation between India and France: In an important milestone in S&T Cooperation between India and France, an MoU was signed between CSIR and Institut Pasteur with scope for cooperation in health research.

Key points:

• CSIR and Institut Pasteur would be jointly researching and focusing on emerging and remerging infectious diseases and inherited disorders.
• They would enable delivery of effective and affordable healthcare solutions not only for the people of India and France but for the global good.
• The MoU provides for developing potential scientific and technological cooperation and networking in advanced and emerging areas of Human Health between scientists and institutes/laboratories of CSIR and Institut Pasteur and its international network.

About CSIR:

• CSIR refers to Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
• It was established on 26 September 1942. Dr Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar was the Founder Director (and later first Director-General) of CSIR.
• It is the largest research and development (R&D) organisation in India.
• It is funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology and it operates as an autonomous body through the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
• The main objective of CSIR was to bring science and technology to the country and develop research capabilities which would support industry.