New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS): The Ministry of Science & Technology on Thursday announced that it has signed agreements under the Patent Acquisition and Collaborative Research and Technology Development (PACE).

The PACE programme by the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR) fosters collaborative research between Indian industries and R&D organisations, academic institutions, and universities. It emphasises innovative work and supports the development of new technologies focused on the commercialization of products and processes addressing unmet industrial needs.

The ministry notified the signing of two separate tripartite agreements with Devashish Polymers (DPPL), Mumbai and GPS Renewables, Bangalore, and Agarkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune.

The MoU with DPPL aims to develop compounded elastomers and evaluate their performance for diverse applications under this project. The GPS Renewables in collaboration with ARI seeks to scale up and conduct pilot trials for enhanced microbial methane production from agricultural residues using anaerobic fungi.

“The PACE programme represents a cornerstone of DSIR's commitment to fostering innovation and collaborative research in India,” said Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Secretary, DSIR & Director General, CSIR.

“Through this initiative, we aim to catalyse the development of new products, processes, and solutions that are not only technologically sound but also have a clear path leading to commercialisation,” Kalaiselvi added.

Kalaiselvi noted that the projects will help address pressing national challenges and contribute significantly to India's development goals.

Kalaiselvi also underlined the critical role such projects play in fostering industry-academia partnerships to create sustainable solutions and drive the nation’s progress in science, technology, and societal impact.

“DSIR remains committed to nurturing ideas that transform into impactful solutions, and the PACE programme is a testament to this mission. Together, we can drive sustainable industrial growth and technological self-reliance for India,” said Dr. Vipin Chandra Shukla, Scientist-G, & Head PACE.

The PACE programme encourages proposals targeting specific industrial sectors with practical applications. It supports projects demonstrating proof-of-concept to address significant unmet industrial needs, with a duration of one to three years.