New Delhi, Mar 5 (IANS): India and Mexico on Saturday signed a partnership deal on research, technology and innovation collaborations with focus on several key technology areas like aerospace, electronics instrumentation and strategic sectors -- civil, infrastructure, engineering, biotech, healthcare and others.

The multi-sectoral agreement was signed in the presence of Union Minister for Science & Technology, Jitendra Singh, and the Foreign Minister of Mexico, Marcelo Ebrard, at the India Science Centre here in the presence of high-level delegation from both sides.

Welcoming Ebrard and his delegation, Singh said the government delegation coming with successful private startup ventures is a welcome sign and both the sides will exploit the innovative eco-system fully to have sustainable startups.

The minister conveyed to the Mexican delegation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi gives high priority to scientific innovation and highlights scientific projects in each of his speech, like marine science, climate change and bio-fuels, among others. Terming India and Mexico as 'privileged partners', the minister said the two countries can complement and supplement each other in many areas.

Singh also informed that as a way forward to identify specific collaborative proposals, topical interaction meetings between scientists from CSIR and institutions in Mexico are planned in this month itself, specifically focusing on health, energy, aerospace and environmental protection aspects.

Ebrard thanked Prime Minister Modi for sending Covid vaccines during the peak of the pandemic and underlined that India was the first country to send vaccines to Mexico, when many other advanced powers and friends showed initial reluctance.

Ebrard said that Mexican President Andreas Manuel Obrador has instructed the delegation to forge close ties with India and work for joint strategic vision.