Thaindian News

New Delhi, Oct 19 (IANS) The Central American nation of Costa Rica is looking to spark India’s interest in a joint venture in carbon-neutral agriculture as well as adaptation of Costa Rican technology for the Indian aerospace industry.

Costa Rican Foreign Minister Rene Castro Salazar, who is on a visit to India, proposed these areas for collaboration during his talks with External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna here Tuesday.

“We told them (India) that it is possible to look into compensation of carbon credit for carbon-neutral agriculture,” he told IANS on the sidelines of an interaction with the Confederation of Indian Industry.

Salazar admitted that there was some “positive surprise” among Indian officials that this could be an area of competitiveness for developing countries.

A former environment minister, the Costa Rican foreign minister is evangelical about the possibility for harnessing green technology to increase economic cooperation between the two countries.

“You will be surprised to know that we already have 20 Revas (Indian electric cars) in our capital. It is the top brand in electric vehicles there,” he said.

Incidentally, more than 90 percent of energy consumed in Costa Rica is from renewable sources, with hydro-electricity accounting for 78 percent of the energy needs in the country, he said.

He will also be travelling to Bangalore to visit India’s space industry and to look at the possibility of using Costa Rican-developed experimental plasma thrust engine in space programmes.

“We want to see if there is a possibility of developing the engine from its experimental to market stage,” said Salazar.

He pointed out that the plasma engine, known as variable specific impulse magnetoplasma rocket, would be crucial in space exploration, as it will help in bringing down costs significantly.

Demonstrating his country’s long-term interest in India, Salazar inaugurated its first permanent embassy in Delhi here Tuesday.

“For a small country like ours, the investment in opening an embassy is heavy,” he said, noting that it was a recognition of India as an emerging power.