Governments of Canada and India Jointly Announce New Funding for IC-IMPACTS

November 15, 2017 – The governments of Canada and India jointly announced the renewal and expansion of IC-IMPACTS, the India-Canada Centre for Innovative Multidisciplinary Partnerships to Accelerate Community Transformation and Sustainability, for another three years. Supported through the Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) in Canada, and through the Department of Science and Technology (DST), and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) in India, IC-IMPACTS will be advancing its second mandate through 2021.

Honourable Navdeep Bains, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development announced government of Canada’s commitment to extend IC-IMPACTS funding by $8.4 million over the 2018-2021 mandate. The announcement was made at the 2017 India-Canada Technology Summit on November 14^th. India’s Minister of Science and Technology, Honourable Harsh Vardhan, also expressed support for the program by announcing matching funds to be provided by the government of India through DST and DBT.

Since its launch in 2013 IC-IMPACTS has successfully developed 38 research projects that have resulted in 16 technology deployments in Canada and India. These include cutting-edge pavements that use significantly less material and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and innovative small-scale water treatment plants for deployment in remote Indigenous communities in Canada.

IC-IMPACTS has shown dramatic success in establishing a strong international bond between Canadian and Indian researchers, and their students, while at the same time developing solutions to real-world problems by engaging local community representatives, industry, and not-for-profits!

— Dr. Mario Pinto
President, NSERC

Collaborative research and development projects between Canada and India bring research experts, industry leaders, and community members from both sides to form practical solutions to challenges faced by communities. These opportunities significantly deepen the bilateral ties between Canada and India.

IC-IMPACTS has been a highly successful program in finding solutions for water, health and infrastructure challenges faced by communities!

— Prof. Ashutosh Sharma
Secretary to the Government of India, DST

With its new funds, IC-IMPACTS will be able to continue supporting innovative researchers in the two countries for knowledge mobilization, research exchanges, training opportunities, and partnerships with industry in the areas of data analytics, big-data, portable diagnostics, water treatment, infrastructure safety, low-cost building materials. IC-IMPACTS renewal and program extension will provide a platform for a new breed of highly qualified entrepreneurs making discoveries for the global economy, while encouraging innovation, commercialization and international trade.

Through cutting-edge research, IC-IMPACTS strives to develop meaningful solutions to community problems in both Canada and India and purports to scale it up with industrial involvement!

— Dr. Nemy Banthia
CEO & Scientific Director, IC-IMPACTS

 For more information, please visit the Network of Centres of Excellence (NCE) announcement.