Agri Minister Chouhan Launches ‘ASEAN-India Fellowship’

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 15th August. Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated the ‘ASEAN-India Fellowship for Higher Education in Agriculture and Allied Sciences’ on Wednesday at ICAR, PUSA, New Delhi. This initiative aims to bolster postgraduate education and research in agriculture and allied sciences, fostering collaboration between India and ASEAN member countries.

The launch event was attended by Union Ministers of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Bhagirath Choudhary and Ram Nath Thakur, alongside key officials including Josel F. Ignacio, Ambassador of the Philippines to India, and Sanjay Garg, Additional Secretary (DARE) and Secretary (ICAR).

Minister Chouhan highlighted ICAR’s pivotal role in advancing agricultural education in India, noting that the institution’s policies and standards ensure high-quality education and contribute to sustainable agricultural development. He emphasized that the fellowship will support postgraduate studies in emerging fields and facilitate cross-regional knowledge exchange.

The ASEAN-India Fellowship aims to enhance human resource development in ASEAN countries by offering 50 fellowships (10 per year) starting from the academic year 2024-25. These fellowships will cover tuition, living, and incidental expenses, providing ASEAN students with access to advanced research and education in Indian agricultural universities.

Josel F. Ignacio praised the fellowship for its potential to strengthen ASEAN-India ties and foster mutual growth. Sanjay Garg and Paramita Tripathi also spoke on the significance of the initiative and its alignment with India’s ‘Act East Policy’ and Indo-Pacific Vision.

This program will expose students to cutting-edge research and foster long-term connections between researchers from India and ASEAN, enhancing collaborative efforts in addressing agriculture-related challenges.