Monday, February 14 2005 16:57 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Heralding a new phase in their bilateral ties, India and Italy today (Feb 14, 2005) signed six accords that cover cooperation in Space, Science and Technology and other areas and decided to further bolster relations in diversified fields.

The agreements were inked in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and visiting Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi after the two leaders held wide-ranging discussions on important bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual concern.

The agreement for cooperation in Space, Science & Technology application was signed by G Madhavan Nair, Chairman of ISRO (Indain Space Research Organisation) and Sergio Vetrella, President of ASI.

Ninety-two high technoloy areas have been identified in another agreement outlining programme of cooperation in the field of Science and Technology for the period 2005-07. It was inked by V S Ramamurthy, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology and Italian Ambassador to India, Antonio Armellini.

Annual meetings between the Foreign Ministers has been envisaged in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on political cooperation signed by External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh and his Italian counterpart Gianfranco Fini.

An MoU on cooperation for the conservation of paintings of the Ajanta and Ellora Caves was signed by Information and Broadcasting Minister S Jaipal Reddy and Italian Culture Minister Giuliano.

Italy has agreed to provide 150 research fellowships for Indians in the field of Science and Technology under another MoU.

To overcome the problem of Indian Marine Exports being often rejected by Italian firms, the two sides signed an MoU on fishery and acqua-culture production providing a framework for such operations.