The two Prime Ministers of India and Japan agreed to collaborate towards establishment of IIT-H in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh in India through various contributions from Japan, including the Japanese official Development Assistance (ODA). The Indian Institute of Technology – Hyderabad (IIT-H) will be part of several Indian institutes that are forging tie-ups with Japanese educational institutions.

In this connection, the five year joint research project for "Information Network for Natural Disaster Mitigation and Recovery" (the Project) will be officially launched on 18th July 2010. On said day, Joint Coordination Committee Meeting will be held from 10:00 a.m. at Hyderabad International Convention Centre with the participation of around 30 researchers from Japan and India. The Chief Guest, His Excellency Shri E.S.L.Narasimhan,Governor of Andhra Pradesh will address this meeting.

The main objective of the Project is strengthening research collaboration between India and Japan in the field of natural disaster prevention and information communication technology and to advance scientific knowledge and technology for resolving global issues such as natural disasters.

To this effect, the Project is designed to establish infrastructure for continuous data collection on earthquake and weather with global information network by applying it to India and Japan as example cases and to develop technical bases for rescue and support for restoration and for disaster recovery support through dispatch of Japanese researcher, provision of machinery and equipments and exchange of Indian Personnel in Japan. The researchers are divided into 4 groups according to research subjects which are: i) Earthquake Disaster Risk Mitigation, ii) Weather Monitoring Platform, iii) Sustainable Communication Infrastructure and iv) ICT Platform and Resource Development for Emergency and Disaster Mitigation.

This interdisciplinary project will bring together researchers from various research institutes and universities in India and Japan, with IIT-H and Keio University as nodal institutes. Two premier institutes in Earth Science, namely, National Geophysical Research Institute of India and Earthquake Research Institute of the University of Tokyo will be essential parts of the project.

The project is supported by the joint research program titled Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS)*.

*SATREPS is a program for promoting international joint research between Japan and developing countries targeting global issues and run by unique collaboration between Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and the Government of Japan.