India and EU Conclude Talks on India Joining Horizon Europe, the EU's Research Programme
India and the European Union (EU) have finished negotiations on India's association with Horizon Europe, the EU's main programme for funding research and innovation. Horizon Europe runs from 2021 to 2027 and has a budget of about €93.5 billion.
"Association" is the closest link the EU offers to a non-EU country. Once the agreement is signed and approved on both sides, Indian researchers and organisations can get money directly from Horizon Europe and can lead joint projects, not just join them.
India's association will cover Pillar II of the programme, called "Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness". This is the biggest part of Horizon Europe and funds joint projects in health, digital technology, industry, space, climate, energy and the bioeconomy. In return, India will pay a financial contribution into the programme.
Exploratory talks began in February 2026, formal negotiations began in July 2026, and the two sides are likely to sign the agreement in January 2027.
At present, 23 non-EU countries are associated with Horizon Europe, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland.
The step is part of the Joint India-EU Comprehensive Strategic Agenda "Towards 2030", adopted at the India-EU summit in New Delhi on 27 January 2026. It comes as the two sides prepare to formally sign their free trade agreement (FTA).
Horizon Europe: The EU's Research and Innovation Programme
Horizon Europe is the European Union's biggest programme for paying for research and new inventions. It runs for seven years, from 2021 to 2027. Universities, research labs, companies and start-ups apply for its money, usually in teams spread across several countries. It is the ninth in a long line of EU "Framework Programmes" for research.
India and the EU have concluded talks for India to become an associated country of Horizon Europe, covering Pillar II. Once the agreement is signed, likely in January 2027, Indian institutions will be able to win funding directly and lead joint projects. India will pay a contribution into the programme in return.
India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC)
The India-EU Trade and Technology Council, or TTC, is a high-level meeting platform where ministers from India and senior leaders of the European Union sit together to work on trade, technology and security issues that are linked to each other. It was announced in April 2022 and formally set up in February 2023. It was the first such council India set up with any partner, and the EU's second after its TTC with the United States.
The third TTC meeting in Brussels in July 2026 is where India and the EU agreed to start formal talks on Horizon Europe association. Concluding these talks now shows the TTC turning research cooperation into a concrete agreement.
- Horizon Europe: 2021 to 2027; budget about €93.5 billion (about €95.5 billion when agreed in 2021)
- India to be associated to Pillar II: "Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness"
- 23 non-EU countries currently associated with Horizon Europe
- Exploratory talks: February 2026; formal negotiations: July 2026; signature expected: January 2027
- India-EU S&T Cooperation Agreement: signed 2001, renewed until 2030
- Joint India-EU Comprehensive Strategic Agenda "Towards 2030": adopted 27 January 2026, New Delhi
- India-EU TTC: announced April 2022, set up February 2023, three working groups