CONTEXT:

• India and Sweden launched a joint programme that will work towards addressing a range of challenges around smart cities and clean technologies among others.

BACKGROUND

• The programme was co-funded by the Indian Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Swedish agency Vinnova.
• Vinnova will provide funding to Swedish participants up to 2,500,000 Swedish Krona (around Rs 1.87 crore) as a grant.
• On the Indian side, conditional grant of up to 50 per cent (with a limit of Rs 1.5 crore) per project will be provided to the Indian partners.
• This Programme is technically and administratively managed by the Global Innovation & Technology Alliance (GITA) on behalf of DST in India and Vinnova in Sweden.
• Government, Academia, and Industry or the ‘triple helix’ – is key to the Sweden-India partnership.