RUAIRÍ QUINN HAS officially opened the Ireland-India Institute, a new national centre at Dublin City University.

The Education and Skills Minister hopes the facility will drive enterprise, research and academic collaboration between the two countries.

A number of initiatives have already been targeted to support strategic partnerships in business, education and research. The programmes will include an Ireland-India Research Fund to help studies into the challenges affecting both nations, such as sustainable technologies and health.

A number of scholarships to support Indian students and researchers in Ireland will also be provided.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, an Indian entrepreneur who founded one of the world’s largest biotechnology companies, Biocon, has agreed to become Patron of the Institute.

“Contemporary Ireland and India face the same global challenges, issues such as healthcare, ageing and sustainability,” he said during today’s launch. “The Institute will help focus our joint efforts in achieving common solutions to these challenges.

“It will become a focal point for the study of contemporary India and a meeting place for all friends of India,” he added.