The European Union and India have launched talks on New Delhi’s possible association with the EU’s 93.5millioneuro flagship programme designed to foster cross border research and innovation.
The European Union and India have started preliminary talks on India’s possible association with the EU’s flagship research and innovation programme ‘Horizon Europe’ worth €93.5 million.
In a statement, the European Commission, the executive arm of the 27-member bloc, said the “exploratory discussions” were launched on Friday to assess the terms and scope of India’s potential participation in Horizon Europe, the EU’s main funding platform for research and innovation.
If India is granted associated status, Indian researchers and institutions would be eligible to receive funding directly from Horizon Europe and could also lead multinational research projects, subject to India making a financial contribution to the programme.
The move follows the recent 16th EU-India Summit held in New Delhi, where both sides concluded a landmark free trade agreement, described by officials as the “mother of all deals”.
At the summit, the EU and India also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening strategic cooperation across a broad range of areas, including trade, security, science, innovation and mobility, underscoring the expanding scope of their bilateral partnership.
”The association will support structured, long-term collaboration between European and Indian research and innovation actors, facilitate joint projects under Horizon Europe, and strengthen cooperation on shared scientific and technological priorities,” the statement said.
“Science works best when borders do not get in the way of ideas. Exploring India’s association with Horizon Europe is about connecting talent, ambition and trust, and building solutions together at global scale,” it quoted Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation, as saying.
According to the statement, EU-India cooperation on research and innovation is anchored by the Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation, initially signed in 2001 and extended until 2030 in the summit last month, highlighting the commitment to mutual advancement in scientific fields.
Currently, Horizon Europe maintains associations with 22 non-EU countries, establishing itself as the closest form of international cooperation in science and technology between the EU and countries beyond its borders.
With inputs from agencies
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