Australia-India Strategic Research Fund

Disclaimer: Copyright infringement is not intended.

Context:

Five projects have been awarded funding in 15th round of the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF).

Details:

Focus Areas of Funding in 15th Round:

Creating AI-driven platforms for monitoring soil carbon sequestration.
Eco-friendly recovery of essential metals from obsolete mobile devices.
Cost-effective solar thermal desalination using nanomaterials.
Harnessing the immune system to combat antimicrobial resistance.
Advanced diagnostics and therapeutics for microbial infections.

Indian Recipients:

The Indian recipients of the AISRF funding include prestigious institutions such as the Punjab Remote Sensing Centre, IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IISc Bangalore, and AbGenics Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd. Pune.

Selection Process and Criteria:

Projects were selected through a rigorous evaluation process to ensure scientific excellence and potential for significant impact.
Emphasis was placed on projects that could provide valuable insights and solutions benefiting both countries and the global community.
Significance of Selected Projects:
The projects reflect cutting-edge research conducted jointly by Australian and Indian scientists.
They are expected to contribute to scientific discoveries and technological advancements in areas of mutual interest.

About AISRF and Its Goals:

●The Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) is a platform for bilateral collaboration in science, jointly managed and funded by the governments of India and Australia.

●The objectives of the AISRF are to increase the uptake of leading-edge science and technology (S&T) by supporting collaboration between Australian and Indian researchers in strategically focused, leading-edge scientific research and technology projects, and strengthening strategic alliances between Australian and Indian researchers; and facilitate India’s and Australia’s access to the global S&T system.

Conclusion:

The AISRF demonstrates the enduring partnership between India and Australia and expects the collaborative projects to lead to significant advancements.
The unveiling of these projects underscores the commitment to building a vibrant innovation ecosystem between India and Australia.
The collaboration is expected to yield not only scientific breakthroughs but also contribute to sustainable development goals globally.

Source:

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2030586

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q) Which of the following statements about the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) is NOT true?

AISRF aims to increase the uptake of leading-edge science and technology through bilateral collaboration.
The funding supports projects solely focused on environmental sustainability.
Projects funded under AISRF are selected based on scientific excellence and potential global impact.
AISRF is jointly managed and funded by the governments of India and Australia.

Answer B.

Explanation:

●The Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) aims to foster bilateral collaboration in science and technology (S&T) between Australia and India. It supports projects across various strategic research areas, not limited solely to environmental sustainability. The fund is jointly managed and funded by both governments, and projects are selected based on scientific excellence and their potential to make a significant global impact. Therefore, option 2 is not true as AISRF funds projects in multiple scientific domains, not exclusively environmental sustainability.