New Delhi, Sept 10 : Union Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal today said that the new partnership would boost the biomedical research in India.

While launching the Government of India''s Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Wellcome Trust India Fellowships here, Sibal said that the £80 million scheme jointly funded by the DBT and the Wellcome Trust over five years - aims to strengthen the research base of Indian biomedical science by providing fellowship programmes to support researchers from newly-qualified senior researchers

He said that the Biomedical Research Career Programme will fund cutting-edge biomedical research in India, and complement recent Wellcome Trust investment to support public health research in the country.

Speaking on the occasion Dr. M. K. Bhan, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology said that India has embarked on a range of new institution building programmes.

"We are committed to ensuring that these and already developed places are nurtured to become centres of quality research and learning comparable to the best. By attracting the best scientists back to work in these locations, we hope to make research a real contributor to health and well- being of the people," he added.

Dr Mark Walport, Director of the Wellcome Trust said: "India has a wealth of academic talent and it is important that we can support the best researchers throughout their careers". (ANI)