Sectors important for Italy - Word Format

SECTORS IMPORTANT FOR ITALY

One cannot take into consideration the outcome of works carried out recently by the Indian Government and by the Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) to do an effective analysis of technological sectors in which the collaboration between Italy and India could be promoted or reinforced.

A group of experts working on a long term analysis and forecasting (more than 500 direct and 5000 with the Delphi method) has in fact come out with an interesting series of documents known as the "Technology Vision for India up to 2020" which identifies 7 areas strategic for the Indian economy and the future prosperity of the people. 

During the start of these works the aims outlined were: 

• to provide strategies for national initiatives in R&S field till 2020;
• to identify elements for a policy for providing assistance, also financial, in the R&S sector;
• to assist in a policy on integrated R&S both a national and state level.With regard to the 7 strategic areas in which successful efforts could be made by Italians, the most significant directives have briefly mentioned below.

Agro-food processing

This sector is considered crucial for the economic development of the Country, also due to its immediate implication on employment.

4 areas for future development have been identified: cereals, milk, fruit and vegetables.

Storage, conservation and transport of cereals have been identified as processes in which innovative methods can be applied.

The milk sector, in which India is the second biggest producer in the world after the United States, shall concentrate on using fodder without additives, health of the livestock, methods of refrigeration in farms and use of renewable energy in main processes.

In fruit and vegetables sector, considerable diversity in agro-climatic conditions in various regions leads to a vast variety of products accompanied by a rapidly rising demand. Therefore, on one side attention shall be given to creating a strong link with the R&S for developing new varieties having special characteristic, and on the other side one shall concentrate on modernization of earth working instruments, local plants for refrigeration, development of advanced technology for packaging, modernization of refrigerated road transport methods and storage.  

Waterways

Transport services shall play a crucial role in the economical development process. Future efforts shall concentrate on how to best use the 14,544 km navigable water ways existing within the country, above all with aim of transport of goods.

Sectors in which technological interventions will be necessary are hydraulics, geotechnics, geology, meteorology, hydrography and navigation. 

Road Transportation

Previous studies have shown a gradual predominance of road transport over railways both for goods and passenger transport.

Steps recommended include improvement and modernization of the existing network through greater use of existing roads and of technologically advanced machinery.
 
Initiatives for providing incentives are also considered for production and diffusion of new ecologically harmless engines, for multimodal and control of emissions.  

Civil Aviation

Even though the Indian export of aerospace products and services is very limited, India is becoming a very important market for the sale of airplanes and services. In view of the forecast of an increase of more than 10% over a long period in air traffic, special efforts shall be made for improving the already existing products in the fields of maintenance (Aircraft condition monitoring systems, Built test equipments, Super alloy welding by inductive preheating used for crack and tip weld repairs on weld cracking sensitive high pressure blades), of training, ( pilots, engineers, technicians, cabin crew, etc..) and of avionics (Modular aeronautical communication switch, Enhanced situational awareness systems, Airlines approach precision systems).

Electric Power

Continuous increase of dependence on import of petrol is exerting enormous pressure on the balance of payments. For this reason investments shall be made in the field of coal based thermal generation of power (development of clean technologies, new steam generators, desulphurization technology, integrated gasification combined cycle), hydroelectric production (hydrological works, planning and construction of new turbines), nuclear energy production (automatic inspection services, improvement of maintenance technology, plant security, development of advanced heavy water reactors), distribution and transmission (advanced high voltage transmission services, infrastructures) and renewable energy sources (improvement in planning and lowering of costs). 

Telecommunications

Special attention is given to the telecommunication and IT sectors, which are of crucial importance to a country like India with social, cultural and geographical diversity, so as to overcome barriers of time and space for diffusion of information, promotion of dialogue between communities and supporting global competitiveness of industries. Therefore, services sectors (wired narrowband and broadband services, wireless narrowband and broadband services) and networks and connections to the rest of the R&S world (microelectronics, photonics, optoelectronics) will be strengthened. 

Advanced Sensors

The technology for advanced sensors is considered critical in the whole world for the future.

More and more ultra pure materials and processes are required. Advanced sensors are used in every segment of human activities, from agriculture to advanced production systems, space satellites, pollution control, medical diagnosis, etc.

The sectors in which major development shall take place are: production of intelligent sensor instruments, sensors integrated with actuators, olfactory systems (artificial nose) with image creation.

For more information see: www.tifac.org.in/offer/vis/rep.htm 

On  comparing Vision 2020 with the priority sectors identified in the document “Strategy for internationalization of Italian research” (MAE 269/14087 dated 4.9.2002), which keeps in mind various factors such as important scientific and technological trends, the National Italian Research program, the priorities of the VI program framework, the competitive position and the implications in terms of high-tech production, the following common sectors, which are considered a priority in the coming years for Italy-India collaboration, have emerged:

A1) Priority sectors envisaged in the National Research Program

• IT and Telecommunications
• Energy
• Transport
• Agriculture and food

A1.1) Priority Technologies

• Biotechnology
• Multimedial advanced IT
• Microelectronics and intelligent sensors
• Laser optoelectronics
• Biomedical technologies
• Micro and nano technologies
• Technology for structural and functional materials
• Separative processes, chemical technologies, electrochemistry
• Fluid dynamics and combustion technology
• Electronics, strating systems and network control
• Robotics and advanced planning systems

A2) Sectors of the Italian R&S which can be promoted in India

• High energies Physics 
• Combustion Cells 
• Nanotechnology
• Advanced materials
• Functional geonomic, neuroscience, application of staminal cells
• Infective diseases 
• Applications to agriculture

A special effort will have to be made for creating Joint Research Laboratories, above all in sectors in which India’s capabilities are recognized internationally (IT e Communication, Space, Biotechnology).

These research facilities shall be characterized by significant sharing of human and infrastructural resources for a more effective cooperation and for obtaining valuable results.    

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