Ekaterina Zaharieva: Europe And India Should Develop Future Technologies Together Under Horizon Europe
Climate change and the digital shift are massive challenges that no single country can fix alone. We need the best minds working together across borders to find real solutions. Recognising this, the European Union and the Republic of India have officially wrapped up negotiations for the India-EU Horizon Europe association.
Backed by a €93.5 billion budget covering the 2021 to 2027 period, it stands as one of the world's largest research funding programmes. This move takes the strategic partnership between the two regions to the next level, meaning Indian researchers, tech companies, and universities will soon work on equal footing with European teams.
Getting Direct Funding Access
This Horizon Europe association is the closest and most integrated type of partnership the European Union offers to non-member countries for research and innovation. Under this new deal, Indian institutions will not just be on the sidelines or independently funded. Instead, they will be fully eligible to get grant money directly from the European Commission.
Ms. Ekaterina Zaharieva, the European Union Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, pointed out that this agreement is a massive win for both sides. She stressed that Europe and India need to team up to build the technologies of tomorrow, creating huge opportunities for businesses and innovators in both regions.
This means the partnership operates on a shared-cost basis. Instead of the Indian government funding its own researchers separately, India will pay a financial contribution directly into the central Horizon Europe budget. Because India pays into this shared pot, Indian innovators will receive their grant money directly from the European Commission, just like European researchers do.
Leading Big Global Tech Projects
A major part of this teamwork focuses on Pillar II of the Horizon Europe programme, officially known as 'Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness'. As the largest piece of the initiative, Pillar II specifically funds multinational collaborative research groups that are trying to solve real-world societal and technological problems.
Indian scientists will now be able to step up to lead and coordinate major global research projects. These targeted projects cover critical areas like modern healthcare, artificial intelligence, digital technologies, space exploration, climate action, energy transition, and the bioeconomy. Matching these thematic clusters with India's own research goals adds significant value as the country works toward its Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
Growing Digital And Scientific Ties
This new step builds on a long history of scientific teamwork. The relationship stems from an original Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation signed back in 2001, which was recently renewed to last until 2030. Research also plays a key role in the joint EU-India Comprehensive Strategic Agenda towards 2030.
The partnership also gets a lot of support from the India-EU Trade and Technology Council. This group helps both sides work together on key digital areas, such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, high-performance computing, digital public infrastructure, and upcoming sixth-generation wireless networks.
Earlier in February 2026, they also launched the first European Legal Gateway Office in India to help IT and tech professionals move to the EU safely and legally.
Joining A Global Innovation Network
Horizon Europe already works with twenty-three other non-EU countries to share expertise. This diverse group includes places like Canada, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
With negotiations also recently finishing up with Australia, adding India means the EU is linking up with one of the biggest and fastest-growing research communities in the world. Bringing all these experts together creates an unmatched pool of global knowledge and resources to push scientific excellence forward on an international scale.
Finishing The Final Approval Steps
This agreement comes after early exploratory talks in February 2026 and formal negotiations that started in July 2026. The plan is for the association to officially start in January 2027.
Before that happens, both the Indian government and the European Union need to finish their required internal signing and approval steps. The final negotiations confirming this major technological alliance successfully wrapped up in Brussels, Belgium, on November 6, 2026.
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