Complementing the “Agreement on Cooperation in the Fields of Scientific Research and Technological Development” concluded on 7th March 1974 between the Governments of India and Federal Republic of Germany, the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India (DST) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Federal Republic of Germany, signed a MoU on Oct 30, 2004 to cooperate in all fields of Science & Technology covered by the DST and DFG. Subsequently, a Programme of cooperation for the period 2007-10 was concluded in Nov 2006

The cooperation aims to provide support for the following collaborative activities:

1. Bilateral seminars, symposia and other scientific meetings;
2. Joint research projects conducted by scientists of both countries;
3. Visits for  concretizing joint research projects and seminars at the final stage; the duration of such visits will generally not exceed 2 weeks. Project related consultative and research visits designed to link complementary research carried out by colleagues in both countries; the duration of such visits will generally not exceed 3 months;
4. Short-term research visits based on invitation for utilization of major research facilities in each other’s country;  
5. Visits of young Indian scientists teams to visit premier German research institutions for up to one week after participation in the meetings of Nobel Laureates in Lindau (selection and international travel costs provided by DST, local hospitality by DFG); and
6. Other co-operative activities mutually agreed upon on a case-to-case basis.