The Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems and the Swedish Research Council (SRC) have joined hands to together promote Indo-Swedish research and innovation cooperation, starting 2013. These agencies have given a joint call inviting Indian and Swedish industry and researchers in both private and public sectors to submit joint project applications for collaborative research and innovation projects.

The programme comes under the science and technology agreement, signed between the governments of two nations on December 9, 2005. Aimed at funding four to six projects, the total budget is close to 35 million Swedish krona (SEK) over a period of three years (2013-2016). The project proposals from organizations have been asked to include a public private partnership (PPP) perspective in their application. The cooperative period shall be 18- 36 months in total, counting from start date of the project. The call for applications has opened on January 18, 2013 and the final deadline to submit proposals is April 29, 2013.

This joint call is expected to stimulate research and development (R&D) projects in companies and at universities, to long-term development of strong research and innovation environments in a number of broad scientific areas. More effective drugs and vaccines and evidence-based vaccination schemes, targeting diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected diseases will also be supported. The other major areas that will be covered under the programme are medical diagnostics, innovative food, improving health promotion and disease prevention, medical devices, antimicrobial resistance that includes innovative treatment, diagnostics and preventive strategies.