India, Lithuania agree to work together on deep tech startups, semiconductor chips

India and Lithuania on Tuesday agreed to work in the areas of deep tech startups as well as forge lasting ties in manufacturing of semiconductor chips.

A high-level Lithuanian delegation led by Economy and Innovation Vice Minister Karolis Aemaitis on Tuesday called on Union Science & Technology Minister Jitendra Singh and discussed ways and means to revive the 2010 agreement in the area of science and technology.

Responding to the keen interest of the Indian minister to give a further fillip to startup culture to create more job opportunities and wealth creation, Aemaitis assured him that Lithuania has robust know-how and capacities in life sciences, biotechnology and other STEM areas and keen to have cooperation between the two countries in high tech startups.

Singh said that India has made rapid advances in the last nine years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi in areas of science, technology and Innovation and conveyed to the Lithuanian side that India is ready to extend all help to its age-old partner. He said, apart from rapid and globally recognized achievements in space, its biotech laurels in terms of 4 indigenous vaccines of COVID is before the world.

The Lithuanian Minister mentioned that a global MNC from his country, "Teltonika" is working with Taiwan for manufacturing of sophisticated chips and the company has a presence in India also and can take collaboration of chip making to a new height in years to come.

The Department of Science & Technology, through the MEA, has been negotiating a Science & Technology Agreement with Lithuania since 2010. In April 2010, a revised Indian counter-draft incorporating few minor modifications was formally submitted to the Lithuanian side and its formal response is still awaited.