Co-operation with India in science, medicine and technology is to be boosted significantly with the creation of 21 Visiting Research Fellowships at UNSW and the signing of a research agreement with two leading Indian energy and resources institutes.

The 21 Indian academics will be appointed to their new positions at an International Research Workshop to be held at UNSW in February next year.

A Memorandum of Understanding, signed between UNSW and India's Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and TERI University in Delhi, will foster collaboration leading to the commercialisation of research.

The announcements were made by the NSW Premier Morris Iemma on a recent business and education mission to India and China.

Mr Iemma welcomed the official strengthening of links between the Indian organisations and UNSW, one of the country's leading research institutions.

"This is a significant point in NSW-India relations," Mr Iemma said.

"One of the main outcomes from the links put in place today will be more collaborative research, which of course is a plus for both NSW and India.

"The research will be in areas ranging from environmental engineering and medical science to energy management.

"I congratulate all the organisations involved in laying the foundation for continuing partnerships."

UNSW is at the forefront of climate change research, the development of renewable energy, water management, sustainable development, engineering and medical research.

In recent months the university has announced a new "green" steel production system; a world-first test that radically improves cancer management; and a joint Australian-Chinese mission to Antarctica to investiagte sites for a telescope promising the best view of space from earth.

Construction has also begun on one of the largest dedicated cancer research centres in the southern hemisphere, the $100 million Lowy Cancer Research Centre, which will house up to 400 researchers.