Elettra Sincrotrone opens in Trieste experimental beamlines co-funded by India

Trieste-based Sincrotrone Elettra opened its two new experimental stations, XRD2 and XPRESS, on Oct. 20 with an event organised at the Area Science Park, in Basovizza. XRD2 and XPRESS have been implemented in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology (DST) of the Government of India, which invested approximately 6 million euros in the project. The two new energy beamlines will research on new materials, pharmaceuticals and biotechnologies.The opening ceremony was held on the day after the meeting of the Italo-Indian Joint Committee at the Farnesina, during which several initiatives were approved. The measures promote relations between Italy and India in the fields of science, technology and innovation.The development of XRD2 and XPRESS, supported by the Italy-India Science and Technology Cooperation Executive Programme, and promoted by the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and the Indian Government DST, was also sponsored by UNESCO’s International Center for Theoretical Physics. The opening ceremony was attended by Elettra’s President Alfonso Franciosi, the city’s and region’s dignitaries, as well as by the Secretary of India’s DST, Ashutosh Sharma, who underlined the successful collaboration. Fabrizio Nicoletti, head of MAECI’s Unit for Scientific and Technological Cooperation, highlighted the importance of a renewed and strong bilateral cooperation between the two countries:
“Following the meeting held at the Farnesina on Sept. 4 between Minister Paolo Gentiloni and the Foreign Minister of  India, Madam Sushma Swaraj , and after the visit to India, on Oct. 13, of the Director General for the Promotion of  Italy’s Cultural, Economic and Innovation System,Vincenzo De Luca, the scientific and technological relations between Italy and India are once again dynamic and proactive. The two new research tools inaugurated today celebrate the return to a dialogue and underline the value of Italian technology, placing importance on the promotion of bilateral projects and the free circulation of researchers to promote cooperation and encourage foreign investments in Itay’s research infrastrutures.”