International Collaboration of ICMR

An MoU between the ICMR and the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) under Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) in the field of Basic and Health Researchwas signed on 1st December, 2023 at ICMR, New Delhi. The MoU aims to promote and develop closer scientific and technological cooperation in basic and health related fields.

A LoA between the ICMR and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), USA on Health Researchwas signed on 12th March, 2024 at ICMR Hqrs. New Delhi. The LoA aims to cooperate in supporting and promoting mutually beneficial health research in line with some of India’s important health priorities.

A LoI between the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations(CEPI), Norway for Cooperation on Vaccine Research, Development and Innovationwas signed on 23rd Feb. 2023 at New Delhi to to work together in furtherance of achieving their shared goal of supporting the development and evaluation of accessible and affordable vaccines to prevent, treat and/ or cure emerging and reemerging infectious diseases.

AnMoU between ICMR and the African Union (AU)was signed on 27thMarch, 2019 at ICMR, New Delhi. It is envisioned that the commonalities between Africa and India in disease epidemiology, including communicable & non-communicable diseases and other health-specific issues(such as HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Cancer, Emerging and re-emerging infections, Vector control, Health Systems) can be well-addressed through collaborative research programs focusing on population-based studies and disease specific product development and address the SDGs through generation of research evidence and validation in humans. Efforts will be made to encourage African entrepreneurship in the health sciences through technology transfer, training and hands-on experience.

First Addendumto the MoU between AU & ICMR on India - Africa Health Sciences Cooperation was signed on 29th September, 2023 and 18th October, 2023 respectively for a period of 3 years.

AnMoU between ICMR and Department of Medical Services of Ministry of Public Health, Thailandwas signed on 17th August, 2022 during the 9th Joint Commission Meeting held between India and Thailand in Bangkok. The collaboration is in the areas of Innovative medical service and technology development for, but not limited to pharmacogenomics, vaccines, drug resistance diagnostic test, internet of things and artificial intelligence, emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, genomic and precision medicine; Capacity enhancement of health personnel and researchers; The RESEARCH (Regional Enabler for South-East Asia Research Collaboration for Health) Platform; and Other areas of cooperation as may be mutually determined.

ATripartite MoU between ICMR, DBT and International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), USAwas signed on 2nd February, 2022 by IAVI at Philadelphia; on 15th February, 2022 by DBT at New Delhi; on 24th February, 2022 by ICMR at New Delhi. This MoU proposes to collaborate to prevent, diagnose and/or treat diseases of concern in India and globally, including HIV, COVID-19, Tuberculosis and other emerging and infectious and neglected diseases; Product development including translational research, preclinical and clinical development, community engagement and socio-behavioural research, low cost manufacturing, public health access, etc

Earlier an MoU between ICMR and International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), USAwas signed in Oct/November 2014 respectively at New York / New Delhi to collaborate and contribute their experiences and resources on AIDS Vaccine development and evaluation of one or more safe and effective AIDS vaccines

AnMoU between ICMR and French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM)was initially signed in 1989 and renewed in 2000. A Letter of Intent (LOI) between ICMR and INSERM for setting up of an International Associated Laboratory (IAL) in the field of Immunology/Haematology was signed in December, 2010 at New Delhi between the then Secretary, DHR, MOH&FW, GOI & DG, ICMR and CEO, Chairman, INSERM during the visit by delegation of His Excellency, the then President of France to India.

The ICMR-INSERM MoU was renewed on 10th March, 2018 at New Delhi during the visit of Hon’ble President of France to India. Joint research will be collaborated in identified mutual areas of interest –Diabetes and Metabolic disorders; Bioethics with focus on regulatory issues of gene editing and Rare diseases. The MoU was further renewed through exchange of letters for a period of 4 years, with effect from March 10th, 2022.

A LoI between the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Health Research (DHR) and the Ministry of Health & Social Protection and The Ministry of Science, Technology & lnnovation, Colombiawas signed on 2nd October, 2021 at New Delhi to address health research topics, build capacity and developed sustained cooperation for research areas of mutual interest that are of public health importance to India and Colombia.

An MoU between the ICMR, Department of Health Research (DHR), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India and the University of Oxford, United Kingdomwas signed in November, 2021.Parties intend to work together for their mutual benefit in the field of infectious diseases commonly affecting socially marginalized groups and emerging health conditions. The aim is to work towards developing data platforms focusing on the old endemics as well as emerging health concerns.

AnMoU between ICMR and Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC), Nepalwas signed in November 2020/January 2021 from ICMR, New Delhi and NHRC, Nepal respectively. The MoU aims to enhance the bilateral cooperation between India and Nepal in the field of Health Research.

Collaborative areas for joint research of mutual interest such as: (i) Cross-border health issues, Ayurveda/traditional medicine and medicinal plants, Climate change and health, Non-communicable diseases, Mental health, Population based cancer registry. Tropical diseases (vector-borne diseases such as Dengue, Chikungunya, Malaria, JE etc), Influenza,Clinical Trial Registry, Health research ethics and Any other area of mutual interest (ii) Capacity building through exchange of knowledge, skills, tools and fellows (iii) Collaboration for adoption of tools, guidelines, protocols and best practices related to health research.

AnMoU between ICMR and the GARDP Foundation on Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Innovation, Switzerland,was signed in March, 2021/April, 2021 from ICMR, New Delhi and GARDP, Switzerland respectively. This MoU enhance co-operation between India & GARDP in the area of Anti-Microbial Resistance; Research and Innovation.

MoU between ICMR and NIH for Cooperation on An International Center of Excellence in Research in Chennai, Indiaat National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, Chennai was signed as of statement in June, 2003 and extended in May, 2008. The scientific focus was to continue ongoing activities and to expand cooperation in the areas of epidemiology, molecular biology, medical entomology, parasitology, immunology bacteriology, microbiology, virology etc. with emphasis on techniques for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of tropical infections and allergic diseases. The collaboration was further renewed in January, 2017 through exchange of letters.MoU was renewed for ten years in September, 2021 at USA/India.

The Indo-US Joint Statement on Diabetes Researchwas signed in June, 2012 in USA and renewed in 2017 through exchange of letters. The collaborative research projects are mainly aimed for capacity building through scientific knowledge, technology and training needs, developing tools for disease control and prevention such as vaccine and collaboration on prevention, treatment and elimination of disease. To generate a better understanding of the molecular and biological mechanisms underlying diabetes, to characterize the genetics, social and environmental determinants and to identify innovative approaches for improving prevention and treatment of diabetes, developing cost effective tools and approaches to translate research results into policies and actions to improve public health.

Implementing Agreementbetween ICMR & NIDDK was signed on 15th June, 2023 & 29th June, 2023 respectively for a period of 10 years. This Implementing Agreement was signed in accordance with the MoU between the HHS and the MOHFW concerning Cooperation in the field of Health and Biomedical Sciences, signed at New Delhi on 28th September, 2021.

AnAn MoU between the ICMR, Department of Health Research (DHR), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschafte.V. (DFG), Germanywas signed in December, 2021 for cooperation in the Field of Medical Sciences / Health Research. Proposed areas of collaboration under the MoU are in the field of Toxicology, Neglected (tropical) diseases & Rare diseases.

AnMoU between The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Department of Medical Research (DMR), Ministry of Health and Sports of MyanmarIn the Field of Health Research was signed on 27th February, 2020 during the visit of Hon’ble President of Myanmar to India. The collaboration is in the areas of Elimination of Infectious Diseases, Development of network platform for emerging and viral infections, training/ capacity building in Research methodology management, clinical trials, ethics etc. and harmonization of regulatory mechanism.

A TripartiteMoU between ICMR, Department of Health Research; Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GoI and International Vaccine Institute, South Koreawas signed in August, 2017 at New Delhi in the area of Vaccine development. The programme is reviewed through Board of Trustees meetings periodically. An EoI was signed in December, 2020 for designation and operation of ICMR-IVI Collaborating Centre for Vaccine Research

AnMoU between ICMR and Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), Switzerlandwas signed in October, 2015 at New Delhi for cooperation in neglected diseases which was renewed in September, 2020 for five years through exchange of letters.

The Indo-US Joint Statement on Environmental and Occupational Health,Injury Prevention and Control was earlier signed in 2002 and was renewed in June, 2006. This Joint Statement has been further renewed as MoU in June, 2015 to promote and develop cooperation in the field of Environmental and Occupational Health, injury prevention and control research, education and training, infrastructure development and capacity building. Renewed through exchange of letters for five years w.e.f. June, 2020.

A TripartiteDoI between The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India; the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services of the United States of America (USA); and, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), USAwas signed in October/November, 2019 and was exchanged during the visit of Mr. Bill Gates, Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to ICMR hqrs, New Delhi on 17th November, 2019. The collaboration will establish a clinical research fellowship programme for young scientists in India and the USA to expand research that will advance discovery to improve clinical practice and benefit public health in both countries. The initial focus of this fellowship programme is to be for scientists engaging in infectious disease and immunology research, with an emphasis on diseases that affect women and children.

AMemorandum of Intent (MoI) between ICMR and Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare (FORTE)was signed in June, 2015 at Stockholm, under India -Sweden agreement on cooperation in the field of healthcare and public health during the visit by the then President of India to Sweden. The MoI is to increase bilateral cooperation between Sweden and India in the field of Ageing and Health to enhance the understanding of demographic change and impact of migration on physical and mental health and well-being of the elderly forms and systems of care of the elderly and use of ICT assistive technology and addressing issues related to nutrition in elderly.

AnMoU between ICMR and Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD)was signed in April, 2011. Some of the priority areas of collaboration proposed by GACD founding members are prevention of cardiovascular diseases; public health measures for the control of diabetes and obesity; characterization, quantification of risk factors (tobacco and environmental pollution), and development of control measures for chronic obstructive airways disease, cancer cardiovascular disease and other disorders; and implementation research of interventions to address these and other priorities. The programme is reviewed periodically through Strategy Board Meetings.

The Indo-German programmehas been running in pursuance of Indo-FRG Agreement on Science & Technology signed in January/March, 1974 (Co-ordinated by DST) and subsequently under ICMR-GSF (now taken over by DLR, BMBF), Special Arrangement for cooperation in biomedical sciences signed in January/February, 1976. The ICMR- GSF cooperation was renewed in May, 1990 and further strengthened by signing of an addendum in November, 2005 at New Delhi/Bonn. The areas of cooperation under this agreement cover infectious diseases including AIDS, oncology, family planning and reproduction with special emphasis on birth control, health for mother and child, prenatal medicine, research on scientific basis of traditional medicine with emphasis on composition and pharmacological properties of natural products, environmental toxicology, drug development related to tropical diseases/infectious diseases, bioethics, Antimicrobial Resistance and other biomedical research aspects related to human health.