India-Czech Republic to enhance cooperation in defence, innovation, green energy

Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], January 10 : India and the Czech Republic expressed satisfaction with the development of their bilateral relationship and affirmed commitment to further strengthen cooperation in various areas including science, innovation, defence, health and green energy.
In a joint statement on Wednesday, the two countries expressed commitment to deeper engagement within the Indo-Pacific region based on an open, free inclusive and rules-based approach with respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and recognizing the promotion of effective rules-based multilateralism as a way to achieve global prosperity and commitments of the UN 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals.
The two countries said they are determined to strengthen further mutual ties to address untapped potential for innovation cooperation and to facilitate joint partnerships and projects, India and the Czech Republic decided to elevate the India-Czechia relations in innovative sectors to the Strategic Partnership on Innovation and to further intensify bilateral high-level, professional and business exchanges, and declare their intention to work together in the following areas of bilateral cooperation.
According to the joint statement, India and the Czech Republic will explore all opportunities to expand cooperation in research and technology by promoting mutual exchanges and sharing of ideas and best practices between researchers and innovative entrepreneurs to utilise such knowledge for future collaboration.
"Both Partners acknowledge the contribution of research and innovation to the economic growth and competitiveness. They wish to support more joint initiatives and projects aimed at the transfer of new knowledge and technologies into new applications and products. Priority areas include, among others, digital technologies and artificial intelligence, biotechnologies and health, key emerging technologies, semiconductors, new materials including nanotechnologies and quantum technologies, sustainable energy and environmental sciences, management of resources and food safety, security of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), and creative industries," the statement read.
India and the Czech Republic expressed a desire to encourage solutions based on knowledge, creativity and technological advancement.
They also showed readiness to support G2G, B2G, B2B, academic and other key stakeholder partnerships to encourage and expand cooperation in the fields of innovation-driven trade, joint ventures and investment.
Both Partners emphasize their commitment to strengthen the work of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation, established under the Agreement on Economic Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Czech Republic, signed on June 8, 2010, in Prague and chaired by the Minister of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of India and the Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic. They will also try to foster innovation cooperation under "Industry 4.0" through the aforementioned Joint Commission, the statement added.
India and the Czech Republic further underlined the importance of innovations in the defence field and the defence industry. They noted the existing connections among their entities in the areas and expressed commitment to further encouraging their cooperation including, R&D, training and innovative production solutions involving Czech and Indian stakeholders.
Both Partners shared their readiness to encourage closer bilateral cooperation in the health sector. The Partners take note of the existing development and production capacities in the field of pharmaceuticals and opportunities to collaborate in the affordable healthcare sector, according to the joint statement.
India and the Czech Republic also wish to expand their cooperation in promoting innovative, sustainable and environmentally friendly technological solutions that align with the principles of the circular economy.
"Both Partners wish to enhance cooperation in the areas of transport infrastructure and sustainable transport, smart public transport systems, mobility and e-mobility. They will foster collaboration in all transport modes and related innovation development. The two Partners propose to focus more closely on the rail industry and rail transport. They express their wish to encourage more technological cooperation and exchange of expertise to address safety, efficiency and accessibility of the railway transport and infrastructure," the statement added.
They also wish to explore further opportunities and potential in the area of sustainable agriculture and the food industry. They want to encourage closer connections among public and private sectors, including research and educational facilities, in promoting the transfer and use of food processing and food industry technologies, machinery and equipment.
India and the Czech Republic emphasized the potential to promote people-to-people links across all target sectors within the strategic partnership by creating a conducive environment to ease the mobility of skilled personnel as well as to advance joint cooperation in countering irregular migration, trafficking of human beings and return.
Such cooperation will include a senior-level dialogue on migration and mobility partnership to facilitate the mobility of researchers, scholars, students and business people and to counter irregular migration and trafficking of human beings.
In addition, the two nations will further examine the mobility possibilities through reinforced visa and consular consultations between the Ministry of External Affairs of the Republic of India and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, the statement added.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with his Czech counterpart, Petr Fiala, and reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries.
The leaders held discussions covering various sectors, including new and emerging technologies, automobiles, climate change, and defence in Gandhinagar.
"Had an excellent meeting with Prime Minister @P_Fiala of Czech Republic on the sidelines of the @VibrantGujaratSummit. We discussed deepening bilateral cooperation in sectors like trade, energy, science, innovation and defence," PM Modi posted on X after the meeting.
Earlier in the day, speaking at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, the Czech PM said that the potential for Czech-Indian collaboration is great not only in energy but also in wastewater treatment or sustainable agriculture, and added that he is interested in long-term strategic investment.
He said that the strategic investments would include AI (Artificial Intelligence) research and especially semiconductors.
Meanwhile, Czech PM Petr Fiala also visited the Sabarmati Ashram in Gandhinagar on Wednesday to glimpse into the life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi.
"Sabarmati Ashram - a place that embodies the teachings and spirit of Bapu! PM @P_Fiala of the Czech Republic visited Sabarmati Ashram and glimpsed into the life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma's universal values continue to inspire humanity," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.