Russia seeks scientific collaboration with India after Chinese pause

Russia has reached out to India to launch new collaboration between scientific establishments and bodies after China's recent refusal to continue partnership with the Russian Academy of Sciences, a 300-year-old institution which is one of Europe's leading scientific establishments.

China suspended scientific cooperation after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to Russian Academy of Sciences president Alexander Sergeev. ET has learnt Russia has reached out to India for collaboration in specific sectors following Beijing's move. Sergeev's remarks on China were made at the Digital International Relations 2022 conference organised last week in Russia. Interaction with Chinese scientists became more complicated after the imposition of sanctions. Contacts with academies of sciences in western countries have also been frozen due to sanctions, he said.

"If we talk about the southern or eastern directions, unfortunately, I can say directly that our Chinese scientific colleagues have also pressed pause, and over the past month we have not been able to enter into serious discussions, despite excellent cooperation along with regular communication we had," Sergeev said. India was a positive example while compared to China and the west and the Russian Academy of Sciences wants to discuss the possibilities of cooperation in pharmaceuticals, space and digital with India, he said.

Russian diplomats have been tasked to explore partnerships between scientific bodies of India and Russia, ET has learnt. Russia has also recently reached out to source medicines and medical equipment from India.