New Delhi: Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the ASEAN-India Fellowship for Higher Education in Agriculture and Allied Science at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Pusa in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Chouhan praised ICAR for its leading role in shaping and ensuring the quality of agricultural education in India. ICAR sets the rules, policies, and standards to ensure agrarian education thrives nationwide, contributing to sustainable development in this sector. Currently, around 135 international students are pursuing their degrees at various agricultural universities in India. India has maintained a strong partnership with ASEAN member countries since ASEAN’s establishment. ASEAN is the cornerstone of India’s ‘Act East Policy’ and the ‘Indo-Pacific Vision’ built upon it. India fully supports ASEAN unity, centrality, and ASEAN’s outlook on the Indo-Pacific.
The agriculture minister said that the ASEAN-India fellowship aims to support postgraduate studies in various emerging fields of agriculture and allied sciences. Participating Indian faculty members will be facilitated with introductory visits to ASEAN member countries to aid ASEAN capacity-building, promoting the development of a pool of expert human resources in ASEAN for the growth of agriculture and allied sciences. He emphasised that long-term degree courses in India can help researchers from both regions stay connected and better understand agriculture-related issues in ASEAN countries and India.
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Josel F Ignacio, Ambassador of the Philippines to India and India’s Country Coordinator at ASEAN, emphasised that the programme will promote the development of a pool of expert human resources in ASEAN for the growth of agriculture and allied sciences. He highlighted the spirit of collaboration and mutual growth that this ASEAN-India Fellowship Programme embodies.
Sanjay Garg, Additional Secretary (DARE) and Secretary (ICAR) briefed on ICAR’s contributions to solving food security issues faced by ASEAN countries. He further explained the significance and collaboration between ASEAN countries and India.
Alka Nangia Arora, Additional Secretary (DARE) & Financial Advisor ICAR, was also present during the programme. Paramita Tripathi, Joint Secretary, Oceania & Indo-Pacific, Ministry of External Affairs, discussed the ASEAN Cooperation Project and provided insights into the ‘Act East Policies.’ Earlier, RC Aggrawal, Deputy Director General – Agricultural Education, ICAR in his welcome address, briefed about the ASEAN-India fellowship programme.
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The event was attended by ambassadors, high commissioners, deputy chiefs of mission of ASEAN countries, ICAR’s deputy director generals, vice-chancellors of state agricultural universities and deemed universities, delegates from ASEAN member states, representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat and Indian Mission to ASEAN, and officials from the Ministry of External Affairs.
This initiative will expose students to cutting-edge research offered by Indian agricultural universities in their master’s programmes, preparing them for future innovations. Additionally, long-term degree courses in India can help researchers from both regions stay connected and better understand agriculture-related issues in ASEAN and India.
Starting from the academic year 2024-25, a total of 50 fellowships (10 per year) will be awarded to students from ASEAN member countries for a master’s degree in agriculture and allied sciences. This project has been approved for funding under the ASEAN-India Fund for five years, covering fellowships, admission fees, living expenses, and incidental expenses for the students. It will help students from ASEAN member countries receive quality research-based education, bringing India and the ASEAN community closer together and providing a platform for intercultural and international exchange of knowledge among students from ASEAN countries.
