India and Norway deepen strategic partnership in science and innovation

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While bilateral relations between India and Norway have strengthened during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Norway, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Government of India signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Norway, to strengthen cooperation in the areas of science, technology, innovation and sustainable development. 

The agreements were signed with senior representatives from the partner institutions of Norway on behalf of DSIR/CSIR under the leadership of Dr N. Kalaiselvi, Director General, CSIR and Secretary, DSIR. The MoUs aim to expand India-Norway relations in the areas of research, innovation and technology development, as well as promote institutional partnerships, startup and industry collaborations, academic collaborations, and sustainable development initiatives in both countries.

The MoU between DSIR/CSIR and the Research Council of Norway (RCN) aims to promote cooperation in research, technology development, innovation and capacity development. 

CSIR also signed an agreement for cooperation (2026-2029) with Norway's premier independent research organisation Stiftelsen SINTEF (SINTEF) under the framework of the MoU issued since 2014. The agreement focuses on waste generation and sustainable transition through joint research and innovation programmes in areas such as bio-based processes and materials, innovation hubs, marine energy (including offshore wind and hybrid systems), carbon capture, storage and utilisation, and conversion of waste into usable materials.

An agreement was also signed on cooperation between CSIR institutes and institutes of SINTEF for a specific project regarding marine energy and offshore wind energy.

A Joint Declaration of Intent was signed between CSIR, Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (ACSIR) and Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) titled "Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation for Green Transition". 

In another significant development, CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute (CSIR-NGRI) has signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with Emerald Geomodelling.