India and EU Conclude Negotiations on India's Accession to Horizon Europe Program

New Delhi, Nov 7 (KUNA) -- India and the European Union concluded on Saturday negotiations for India’s accession to the Horizon Europe program. The Indian Ministry of Science and Technology said in a statement that India and the EU had successfully completed negotiations on India’s accession to Horizon Europe, the EU’s flagship program in research and innovation. The statement clarified that “India’s accession to the program represents a strategic step toward establishing a long-term institutional framework for research cooperation between the two sides, based on existing research and development projects and cooperation under the India-EU Agreement on Cooperation in Science and Technology and the Joint Trade and Technology Council.” This accession will enable researchers, institutions, and industrial sectors in India to participate in funding calls under the program through joint research projects, and will give them access to European consortia and advanced research infrastructure. It will also contribute to enhancing the mobility of expertise and lead to the joint development of technologies, standards, and solutions of broad societal relevance. The thematic pillars under the second pillar of Horizon Europe, which cover health, digital technologies, industry, space, climate, energy, mobility, food, and the bioeconomy, closely align with India’s scientific research priorities. This accession adds significant value to India’s innovation ecosystem. The process of exploring the possibility of accession began following the historic India-EU summit on January 27, 2026, while formal negotiations were launched as a result of the ministerial meeting of the Joint Trade and Technology Council held in Brussels on July 15, 2026. (End) a.t.k / m.m.j