India-UK tie up for Anti-Microbial Resistance Research

The United Kingdom has collaborated with India to enhancing their science and research collaboration with five new projects worth 8 million pounds to tackle anti-microbial resistance, which could lead to important advances in the global fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes.

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Key-Points

The UK will contribute 4 million pounds from the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Fund for International Collaboration, which India will match with its own resources – resulting in the total funding of 8 million pounds.

India is a major producer of anti-microbials in the pharmaceutical industry global supply chain, and the research projects aim to develop a better understanding of how waste from antimicrobial manufacturing could be inadvertently fuelling anti-microbial resistance (AMR).

The five projects backed by the new funding are planned for September, subject to clearances.

The new tie-up was announced as Tariq Ahmad, UK Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth, as he conducted a so-called “virtual visit” to India.

During the virtual India tour, Ahmad chaired a roundtable with senior Indian and UK-based stakeholders on cold-chain technologies that are critical for the effective transport of vaccines, ensuring they successfully reach their final destination.