CFPs: Indo-French Programme in Information and Communication Science and Technology
Section
The Department of Science and Technology and Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (Inria) has launched a joint call for proposals to foster collaboration between scientific Communities of two countries in the area of Information and Communication Science & Technology.
Focus Areas: Artificial Intelligence; Cybersecurity; Digital Health. Applicants from both countries must meet eligibility requirements. On the Indian side, applicants should hold a permanent position as scientists or faculty members in universities, deemed universities, academic institutes, and national research and development laboratories or institutes. On the French side, applicants must carry out their research activity in an Inria project-team. The joint proposal must be written in English and submitted by both sides. Only Indian PIs have to apply to CEFIPRA while French PIs must apply to Inria separately with the same proposal as per procedures. Proposals received after the due date or only on one side will not be considered.
After the closure of the call, DST/CEFIPRA and Inria will exchange lists of proposals received. Common proposals will be evaluated according to their own rules and ranked based on scientific quality and interest. Evaluation criteria include relevance of the proposal to the call, technical and scientific quality, quality of project management and methodology, global impact, quality of the consortium, synergies between partners, mobilization of resources, added value of collaboration, and balanced scientific and financial contributions. Based on evaluation, national ranking, and consensus, a joint committee will select projects for support.
Selected projects will be funded in India by DST through CEFIPRA and in France by Inria, with funding support up to Euro 10,000–15,000 (Rs. 10–15 lakhs) per project per year for a period of three years. Funding may cover international travel, support for researchers and fellows, contingency, and institutional overheads as per DST norms. The cost of accident and sickness insurance during travel will not be supported.
Applicants must ensure their French partners are eligible for funding from Inria. Indian PIs must submit proposals through the DST-Inria Targeted Programme’s online submission system with all required documents in prescribed formats, and hard copies must also be sent to the Director, Indo-French Centre for the Promotion of Advanced Research. The deadline for applications is 16 October 2025.
