Indian scientists are about to join one of the world's biggest research collaborations. India and the European Union have concluded talks on India's association with Horizon Europe, the €93.5 billion European Union research and innovation programme.
Under Pillar II, "Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness", Indian organisations will be able to lead multinational projects. This is the biggest part of the programme and includes healthcare, artificial intelligence, digital technologies, advanced manufacturing, space, climate change, energy and the bioeconomy.
For researchers, it means a much wider network to collaborate with. Indian companies and startups could also get in on projects that combine science, technology and industrial know-how from several countries.
It is the EU's flagship research and innovation programme for 2021-2027. Its €93.5 billion budget funds scientific research, technology development and innovation across a wide range of sectors.
Non-EU countries have the possibility of joining via association agreements. This allows their institutions to bid for funding and to take part in eligible projects on broadly the same terms as organisations in EU member states. But there's a catch... Countries that are associated have to pay into the programme.
For India, it is about moving beyond one-off partnerships and bilateral projects. The association offers a formal and durable route for the country to join Europe's research system.
23 countries outside the EU are already associated, including the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Switzerland, Norway, Israel and New Zealand. Discussions with Australia have also been concluded, and that agreement is expected to be signed shortly.
That timing is fine. India is looking to build up its research base and play a bigger role in emerging technologies. "Cooperation will likely be big in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, advanced computing, clean energy and space."
Access to European networks, expertise and infrastructure could help Indian institutions tackle projects that would otherwise require significantly more resources or a foreign partner.
The two sides are building on existing cooperation. They renewed their Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, which was signed in 2001, until 2030. Research and innovation also play a significant role in the Joint EU-India Comprehensive Strategic Agenda toward 2030, adopted at the India-EU Summit on January 27, 2026.
And then there is the India-EU Trade and Technology Council, which addresses common interests like AI, semiconductors, high-performance computing, digital public infrastructure, digital skills, and 6G. In February 2026, the two also opened their first European Legal Gateway Office in India to make it safer and easier for information and communications technology professionals to move legally to Europe.
It all happened very fast. On 6 February 2026, exploratory talks began. Formal negotiations began on July 17 and have now ended.
Then there's the signing and the rest of the procedures. India is scheduled to join Horizon Europe in January 2027, if the timeline holds.
Funding is only half the story. Indian institutions will get to work on big international projects, build links with leading research organisations and, most importantly, lead collaborative research themselves.
Research partnerships are now real diplomacy as major economies jostle in artificial intelligence, advanced computing, clean energy and other emerging fields. India's association with Horizon Europe adds one more layer to its relationship with the EU. It could shape the country's scientific capabilities, industrial ambitions and technology partnerships for years to come.
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