India and the European Commission have successfully concluded negotiations on India's association with Horizon Europe, the European Union's €93.5 billion flagship funding programme for research and innovation, the European Commission announced on Friday, November 6.
Source: ANI via Devdiscourse
The Commission said the agreement marks a milestone in EU–India relations, strengthening scientific cooperation, opening new opportunities for research and deepening the bilateral strategic partnership. Once the association agreement is signed and ratified by both sides, India's association is envisaged to take effect in January 2027.
What Indian researchers and companies get
Under the agreement, researchers, businesses and research organisations in India will be eligible to receive funding directly from Horizon Europe and to lead collaborative projects under Pillar II, 'Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness'. Association is the closest form of cooperation the EU offers non-EU countries under the programme, allowing organisations from associated countries to participate on equal terms with their EU counterparts in the covered areas, in exchange for a financial contribution to the programme's budget.
Pillar II is the largest segment of Horizon Europe. It finances multinational research tackling major societal and technological challenges, including health, digital technologies, industry, space, climate, energy and the bioeconomy.
Welcoming the development, EU Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva said: “The agreement opens new opportunities for our businesses. Horizon Europe will help our researchers and innovators work together on what comes next. We want Europe and India to be partners in developing the technologies that will shape our future.”
Source: European Commission via ANI
How the deal was reached
The conclusion of negotiations follows exploratory talks launched on February 6, 2026, and formal negotiations that began on July 17, 2026. Scientific cooperation between the two sides builds on the Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation, originally signed in 2001 and renewed until 2030, and on the Joint EU–India Comprehensive Strategic Agenda towards 2030, adopted at the EU–India Summit on January 27, 2026.
Technology collaboration has also expanded through the EU–India Trade and Technology Council, which focuses on areas such as artificial intelligence, digital public infrastructure, semiconductors, high-performance computing, digital skills and 6G telecommunications. Horizon Europe currently includes 23 associated non-EU countries, among them the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, South Korea and Switzerland; negotiations with Australia were also recently concluded.
What happens next
Both sides must now complete their internal procedures before the association agreement can be signed. Times Higher Education, reporting the Commission's announcement, noted that the agreement centres on Pillar II and does not give India access to every part of the programme. Subject to signing and approvals, Indian institutions would receive grants directly from the European Commission and Indian scientists could lead and coordinate large international research consortia from January 2027.
Source: Times Higher Education