India joins Horizon Europe after concluding negotiations with the European Commission

Brussels – The European Commission and India concluded negotiations on India’s association with Horizon Europe, the EU’s flagship programme for research and innovation, with a budget of 93.5 billion euros. For Brussels, this marks “an important step forward for EU-India relations, strengthening scientific cooperation, creating new opportunities in research, and deepening the EU–India strategic partnership.” For researchers, businesses and research organisations across Europe, India’s involvement will open up greater opportunities for collaboration with Indian partners, fostering lasting scientific and technological links.

 Once the agreement has been signed and the necessary procedures completed by both parties, researchers and organisations in India will be able to receive funding directly from Horizon Europe and lead collaborative projects under ‘Pillar II’ of the programme, dedicated to ‘Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness’. This is the programme’s largest component, which funds multinational research and innovation projects aimed at tackling social and technological issues in sectors such as health, digital technology, industry, space, climate, energy and the bioeconomy.

 “This will create new opportunities for European and Indian partners to pool expertise, develop technologies and address shared challenges,” the Commission said. The association represents the closest form of cooperation that the EU offers to third countries under Horizon Europe. It enables organisations from associated countries to participate, on an equal footing with their EU counterparts, in the programme components covered by the agreement. In return, the associated countries contribute financially to the programme. 

The successful conclusion of the negotiations paves the way for the signing of the association agreement, subject to the completion of the necessary procedures by both parties. The association is scheduled for January 2027.