India Joins EU’s €93.5bn Horizon Europe Research Programme
India and the European Union have concluded negotiations for India to join Horizon Europe, the EU’s flagship research and innovation programme, opening the door for Indian scientists, universities and companies to compete for funding from a €93.5 billion pot.
The European Commission announced the close of talks on 6 November, and India’s Ministry of Science and Technology confirmed the same outcome a day later through the Press Information Bureau. Association — the closest form of cooperation Horizon Europe offers to a country outside the EU — is expected to begin in January 2027, once the formal agreement is signed and the required procedures are completed on both sides.
“Negotiations for India’s association to Horizon Europe have concluded!” the programme said in a post on X, adding that the deal would open new opportunities for researchers and innovators in the EU and India to work together more closely.
What association means
Association is not membership of the programme, but it is the next best thing. Once it takes effect, Indian researchers, institutions and businesses will be able to take part in Horizon Europe funding calls, lead collaborative projects and join European research consortia on broadly the same terms as their EU counterparts. They will also gain access to European research infrastructure, and India will contribute financially to the programme, although the amount has not been announced.
India would join a group of 23 countries already associated with Horizon Europe, among them the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, New Zealand, Norway and Ukraine. The programme runs from 2021 to 2027 and is the world’s largest multinational research funding scheme.
The agreement covers Pillar II of the programme, its largest component, called Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness. Its thematic clusters span health, digital technologies, industry and space, climate, energy and mobility, and food and the bioeconomy — areas that align closely with India’s own research priorities.
EU Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva said the agreement would create opportunities for businesses and researchers to develop future technologies together.
The road to the deal
The negotiations moved quickly by the standards of international research agreements. Exploratory discussions began after the India–EU Summit on 27 January 2026, and formal negotiations were launched following a ministerial meeting of the India–EU Trade and Technology Council in Brussels on 15 July.
The deal builds on a long-standing scientific relationship. India and the EU first signed an Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation in 2001, recently renewed until 2030, and have run joint research projects under that framework for years. Association takes the relationship a step further, turning ad hoc cooperation into a long-term institutional framework.
India’s external affairs ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said on X that the association would provide “significant impetus to India’s innovation ecosystem” as the country advances towards its Viksit Bharat 2047 vision of a developed India by the centenary of independence.
Why it matters now
The research deal lands at a busy moment in India–EU relations. The two sides are also working towards a free trade agreement, with reports that it could be signed in mid-December, possibly during an expected visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Brussels. The research association is seen as part of a broader strategic partnership the two sides are building over the next five years.
For Indian researchers, the practical effect is straightforward: from early next year, they should be able to apply directly for Horizon Europe funding and lead multinational teams, rather than joining as junior partners. For European researchers, the deal opens access to one of the world’s largest scientific workforces and to India’s growing strengths in areas such as digital technology, pharmaceuticals and space research.
There are limits to what has been agreed so far. The announcement covers the completion of negotiations, not the signing of the agreement, and no individual grant or project has yet been awarded. The contribution India will pay, and the precise date association takes effect, will only be settled once the formal agreement is signed and both sides complete their internal procedures.
Even so, the conclusion of talks is a milestone in its own right. Few countries outside Europe have secured association to Horizon Europe, and India’s entry would make the programme’s research network genuinely global in scope. For a programme built on the idea that the hardest scientific problems are best tackled together, that is the point.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Horizon Europe?
Horizon Europe is the European Union’s flagship research and innovation programme, with a budget of €93.5 billion for the period 2021 to 2027. It funds collaborative research across health, digital technologies, climate, energy, space and other fields.
What does association mean for India?
Association is the closest form of cooperation Horizon Europe offers to non-EU countries. Indian researchers, institutions and industry will be able to take part in funding calls, lead collaborative projects and access European research consortia and infrastructure.
When will the association begin?
Both sides expect it to begin in January 2027, after the formal agreement is signed and the required procedures are finished. The amount India will contribute has not been announced.
Which research areas are covered?
The agreement covers Pillar II, “Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness”, including health, digital technologies, industry and space, climate, energy and mobility, and food and the bioeconomy.
