A week-long China innovative tour for young Indian scientists began Monday in Kunming, capital of Southwest China's Yunnan province.

The delegation of 20 Indian scientists is expected to visit universities and research institutes in Kunming and Shanghai and attend the 2019 Global Science and Technology Innovation Conference, exchanging views with Chinese experts and scholars.

Academic seminars will also be held during the event.

All of the scientists are under 45 years old, with research interests in areas including materials science, ecology, zoology and botany, according to Chandra Shekhar Sharma, a doctoral student at the Indian Institute of Technology.

As China and India cooperate closely in culture and sports, bilateral exchanges in science and technology can also be promoted to a higher level, he said, adding they hope that through this event, young scholars of the two countries can inspire each other and bring new opportunities of cooperation.