India – Sri Lanka S&T cooperation look towards new areas like waste-water technologies, biotech, sustainable agriculture, big data analytics & artificial intelligence

Jan 21, 2022 | Business


India and Sri Lanka extended the existing S&T cooperation for 3 more years, with focus on new areas like waste-water technologies, biotech, sustainable agriculture, aerospace engineering, robotics, big data analytics, and artificial intelligence, as well as industrial collaborations at the India-Sri Lanka 5th Joint Committee on S&T Cooperation held on January 20, 2022.


“India and Sri Lanka have a great legacy of intellectual, cultural, and religious interaction and relationship of more than 2500 years old. Trade and investment and cooperation in education and other sectors have gone up in recent times, and in this line, cooperation in S&T becomes very critical,” said Mr. S. K. Varshney, Advisor, and Head, International Cooperation, Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology, India, who led the delegation from the country and was the Indian co-chair.


“This platform will provide an opportunity for discussing various other facets which are possible for collaboration in the domain of S&T. There are lot of opportunities available for bilateral cooperation. India offers fellowships like India S&T fellowship, e-ITEC and both the countries can work through a number of multilateral platforms like BIMSTEC, which they are part of,” he added.


Mrs. Deepa Liyange, Secretary, State Ministry of Skills Development, Vocational Education, Research & Innovations, Sri Lanka, the co-chair from Sri Lanka, reiterated the well-established bilateral relationship between both the countries and welcomed India’s cooperation in S&T sectors and research areas for boosting scientific knowledge in the country.


Mr. Vinod K. Jacob, Deputy High Commissioner from India in Sri Lanka, highlighted that as part of India’s “Neighborhood First” policy which guides the country’s cooperation with Sri Lanka, this meeting would help build on existing collaborative work and help these reach greater heights. He further mentioned that under the e-ITEC program, since April 2020, 550 Sri-Lankan nationals have benefitted from training in various Indian institutions in areas like biotech, medical research, renewable energy, and so on.


“S&T is a key enabler of socio-economic and sustainable development. The tools in science will enable the world in achieving the 2030 agenda of sustainable development, and it is high time we create conducive environment for S&T and innovation. A strong bilateral cooperation is extremely important for a country’s progress, and Sri Lanka looks forward to a fruitful joint cooperation programme,” Mr. Niluka Kadurugamuwa, Deputy High Commissioner from Sri Lanka in India, pointed out.


The delegates exchanged information on the ongoing S&T activities in the two countries. The Indian side presented the overall STI Policy and priority areas by showcasing the core mandates of DST, multi-stakeholder base of DST, India’s recent progress in S&T, as well as focus on securing India’s future in technology through missions like NM-ICPS, NM-QTA, Methanol mission, new initiatives like VAJRA, TARE, Vigyan Jyoti, Accelerate Vigyan. India’s international S&T engagements were also elaborated upon. The Sri-Lankan side also highlighted the scope and status of S&T in their country and its application in various areas of national importance. Organizations like National Science Foundation, Sri Lanka, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India and Industrial Technology Institute, Sri Lanka detailed on activities performed by the respective Scientific Agencies and areas of potential collaboration between both the countries.


The delegates reviewed the ongoing collaborative activities in the 9 areas spanning food technology; plant base medicines; meteorology; space research & applications, robotics & automation; industrial electronics, renewable energy; waste management; information and communication technology and discussed about the future activities.


The board mutually agreed to extend the Programme of Cooperation (POC) for another 3 years between both countries and identified new areas such as like waste-water technologies, industry and biotech, sustainable agriculture, aerospace engineering, robotics, big data analytics, and artificial intelligence to be included in the POC. The need to invite new joint proposals in S&T areas was underlined, and the group recommended conducting more webinars in the wake of the current pandemic situation for enhancing collaborative research and making collaborations stronger.











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JCB certifies Epic Lanka as the first South Asian ACS Operator in J/Secure(TM) 2.0 TPP Certification

Sep 8, 2021 | Business

JCB Co., Ltd. (JCB), a leading global payment scheme, and EPIC LANKA (PRIVATE) LIMITED (Epic Lanka), a leading Sri Lankan IT conglomerate, are pleased to announce that JCB has granted the J/Secure(TM) 2.0 Third Party Provider (TPP) Certification to Epic Lanka as the ACS Operator for its service with EPIC ACS.

In addition to being the only locally developed ACS provider in Sri Lanka, Epic Lanka is the first ACS Operator in South Asia to be certified as a J/Secure(TM) 2.0 TPP for its product EPIC ACS. Epic Lanka also has the distinction of being the first company in the world to be certified with EMV(R) 3DS 2.2 certification and the first-ever Sri Lanka-based vendor to be certified by the other international payment schemes for their 3-D Secure ACS solution.

J/Secure(TM) 2.0, JCB’s Cardholder authentication program conforming to the EMV(R) 3-D Secure Protocol and Core Functions Specification, is expanding globally and supported by major global suppliers of 3DS Server and ACS. The J/Secure(TM) 2.0 TPP Certification granted to Epic Lanka as the ACS Operator for EPIC ACS will provide more opportunities to the JCB Issuers for secure e-commerce transactions. The ACS functions and characteristics supported by Epic Lanka include 3RI, ACS Attempt, Decoupled Authentication and Acquirer TRA as authentication options.

Note: EMV(R) is a registered trademark in the U.S. and other countries and an unregistered trademark elsewhere. The EMV trademark is owned by EMVCo, LLC.

About JCB

JCB is a major global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes about 36 million merchants around the world. JCB issues cards across various countries and regions internationally with more than 140 million card members. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase its merchant coverage and card member base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information, please visit: www.global.jcb/en/

About Epic Lanka

Established in 1998, Epic Lanka is an award-winning regional technology leader in adopting and delivering modern technology across the Banking, Financial Services, and Government sectors in local and international markets.

Epic Lanka has more than two decades of experience in Fintech, information system security, enterprise digitalization, mobile applications, e-payment application development and secure electronic payments. Equipped with ISO 9001:2015, ISO 27001:2013, PA-DSS, PCI-DSS, PCI3DS, and CMMi Level 3 certification, Epic is the first Sri Lankan Company to develop a certified Card Management System (CMS). With its own in-house Research & Innovation Center, it is a 100% Sri Lankan-owned company and employs local talent to develop innovative and cutting-edge IT solutions. For more information, please visit: https://www.epictechnology.lk/

Contacts
JCB
Kumiko Kida, Ayaka Nakajima
Corporate Communications
Tel: +81-3-5778-8353
Email: jcb-pr@jcb.co.jp


Topic: Press release summary

HEINEKEN LANKA Begins Local Brewing of Flagship Heineken® Beer in Sri Lanka

Aug 8, 2021 | Business

HEINEKEN LANKA today announced the commencement of local brewing operations of its flagship beer brand – Heineken® in Sri Lanka. With this, Sri Lanka joins an elite group of 60 countries that have the license and approvals from its global parent for local manufacturing operations. This move signifies the importance of the Sri Lankan market to the Dutch international brewer and comes at a time when the country needs it the most.

Marking its largest investment into the country to date, HEINEKEN will ensure that all locally manufactured beer is produced on par with international standards under the guidance of a Heineken® appointed Brewing Expert. Made with 100% Pure Malt, Heineken® is all about great social connections & enjoyment of life.

“This move to manufacture Heineken® locally is in line with the Sri Lankan government’s vision to reduce imports, thus saving on much needed foreign exchange and to offer discerning Sri Lankan consumers’ access to premium, world class brews at significantly more cost-effective prices. Furthermore, this will also bring about greater consumer choice in the market. We believe Sri Lanka has the potential to be a key player for HEINEKEN in the Asia Pacific region and look forward to seeing its success along with equitable market conditions.
Maud Meijboom van-Wel,  Managing Director of HEINEKEN Lanka Limited

Today, HEINEKEN is the world’s most international brewer and is the leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands across the globe. Led by the Heineken® brand, the Group boasts a portfolio of over 300 brands, a global presence in more than 190 countries and is committed to further increasing its exposure in emerging markets.

About Heineken Lanka

Heineken Lanka Limited is the second largest manufacturer and distributor of beer in Sri Lanka. Heineken Lanka operates a brewery in Mawathagama, Kurunegala, which has been in continuous operation for the past 20+ years. The company has a staff strength of 200 permanent employees and is home to a brand portfolio of 6 iconic beers.