New Delhi, Oct 5 (IANS): Extending their cooperation in the field of science and technology, India and Switzerland will establish a science promotion section at the Swiss Consulate General in Bangalore, an official statement said Tuesday.

The two countries renewed their agreement on scientific cooperation Monday, 44 years after the first agreement was signed.

"With the signature, India and Switzerland reaffirm their willingness to continue and even further strengthen their long-standing cooperation in science and technology," an official statement from the Swiss Embassy said.

The agreement which was signed at the Science and Technology in Society Forum in Kyoto, makes provisions for an extension of the scientific cooperation till Dec 31, 2012. The agreement was signed in the presence of Science and Technology Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Swiss State Secretary for Education and Research Mauro Dell'Ambrogio.

Human health and medical sciences; material sciences and nanotechnologies and information and communication technologies will be the focus areas of research.

The Swiss minister will officially announce the setting up of the science promotion section "swissnex India" within the premises of the Swiss Consulate General in Bangalore Thursday.