OSLO: Expanding bilateral ties during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Norway, India’s Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) signed five landmark agreements with top Norwegian academic, research, and industrial bodies in Oslo.
Led by Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Director General of CSIR and Secretary of DSIR, the partnerships establish a robust framework for joint research, technology development, and industrial growth focused on clean energy, climate action, and sustainability.
Key Agreements & Core Areas of Collaboration
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Research Council of Norway (RCN) & CSIR (MoU): A broad-based agreement to drive joint R&D projects, scientist exchange programs, and workshops targeting global issues like climate change, clean energy, oceans, and healthcare.
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SINTEF & CSIR (2026–2029 Collaboration Agreement): A strategic partnership with Norway’s premier independent research hub focusing on the circular economy, carbon capture & storage (CCS), bio-based materials, and waste valorization.
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Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), AcSIR, & CSIR (Joint Declaration): Titled “Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation for the Green Shift,” this pact enables student/faculty mobility, academic exchanges, and infrastructure engineering research.
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Emerald Geomodelling & CSIR-NGRI (5-Year MoU): A geoscience-focused partnership to deploy advanced data modeling and geophysical survey planning for large-scale infrastructure projects in India.
Deep Dive: The ₹3.41 Crore Offshore Wind Initiative
A highly targeted, project-specific agreement was signed exclusively for Ocean and Offshore Wind Energy to boost India’s capacity in floating offshore wind systems and reduce the Levelized Cost of Energy ($LCOE$).
Participating Institutions: > * India: CSIR-SERC, CSIR-NAL, CSIR-NIO, and CSIR-4PI.
Norway: SINTEF Ocean, SINTEF Digital, SINTEF Community, and FME NorthWind.
Backed by an initial CSIR funding of ₹341 lakhs, this initiative will focus on pilot demonstrations, standardization, and ESG compliance to help accelerate India’s national carbon neutrality goals.
