**Summary:**
The India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) convened its second ministerial-level meeting on February 28, 2025, in New Delhi, reinforcing collaborative efforts in science, technology, and innovation. Key outcomes include the establishment of joint funding mechanisms, increased scientific exchange and mobility, and strengthened public-private partnerships. Priority areas for collaboration encompass clean energy, artificial intelligence (AI), telecom and IT standardization, biotechnology, water, and climate research, with emphasis on interoperable global standards.
The existing Science and Technology (ST) Agreement will be renewed through 2030. Indian researchers will also gain access to the EU's €500 million "Choose Europe for Science" program (2025-2027), complementing India's ongoing involvement in Horizon Europe.
Specific focus areas for India-EU cooperation are:
1. **Clean Energy & Climate:** Offshore wind, solar parks, renewable energy integration, green hydrogen, smart grid technologies, battery recycling, EV charging standards, and biofuels.
2. **AI & High-Performance Computing (HPC):** Ethical large language model development, responsible AI, quantum computing, and HPC applications for climate, healthcare, and advanced industries.
3. **Telecom & IT Standardization:** 6G, Open RAN (ORAN), and quantum communication.
4. **Biotechnology & Bioeconomy:** Vaccine development, precision biologics, enzyme technologies, climate-resilient agriculture, and biomanufacturing innovation (supported by the BioE3 policy).
5. **Water & Marine Sciences:** Wastewater treatment, marine pollution detection (microplastics), blue economy innovation, and ocean health studies through joint calls.
6. **Other Sectors:** EV battery technology, quantum communications, blue economy, ICT standardization, and vaccine R&D.
The BioE3 policy encourages collaborative engagement with international partners, research institutions, universities, government agencies, and public-private partnerships to synergize investments in biomanufacturing, spanning platform technologies, early-stage innovation, and late-stage translational research. This aims to position India as a biomanufacturing hub for global innovation.
The EU-India Clean Energy and Climate Partnership (CECP), established in 2016, continues to facilitate dialogue and joint projects in offshore wind, solar, smart grids, energy storage, rooftop solar, and energy efficiency. Cooperation centers on strengthening supply chains for solar energy, offshore wind, and clean hydrogen through information exchange on sectoral capabilities, investment incentives, and R&D. Initiatives like the Facilitating Offshore Wind in India (FOWIND) are also underway.
Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, provided this information in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
Key Entities Referenced
New Delhi: The location of the second ministerial-level meeting of the IndiaEU Trade and Technology Council TTC.
IndiaEU Trade and Technology Council TTC: A council established to strengthen collaboration between India and the European Union in trade and technology.
Horizon Europe: A European Union research and innovation program.
Choose Europe for Science programme: An EU program with a budget of 500 million Euros open to Indian researchers.
EUIndia Clean Energy Climate Partnership CECP: A partnership established in 2016 between the EU and India to coordinate energy and climate dialogue.
Facilitating Offshore Wind in India FOWIND: An initiative under which India and the EU are working on offshore wind projects.
BioE3 policy: A policy that encourages collaborative approach and active engagement with potential partners and stakeholders to synergize ongoing investments in biomanufacturing
Dr. Jitendra Singh: Union Minister of State Independent Charge for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space
Ministry of Science & Technology
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: IndiaEU Collaboration
Posted On: 07 AUG 2025 3:25PM by PIB Delhi
The second ministerial-level meeting of the India–EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) held in New
Delhi on 28 February 2025 endorsed strengthening of collaboration in science, technology, and innovation.
Establishment of joint funding mechanisms, enhancement of scientific exchange and mobility, and the
strengthening of public-private partnerships in priority areas such as clean energy, artificial intelligence,
telecom and IT standardization with a particular focus on promoting interoperable global standards,
biotechnology, water, and climate research were discussed during the meeting. Both sides also agreed to
renew the long-standing Science and Technology (S&T) Agreement through 2030.Additionally, the EU’s
€500 million “Choose Europe for Science” programme (2025–27) will now be open to Indian researchers,
facilitating deeper research integration alongside India’s ongoing participation in Horizon Europe.
The key focus areas prioritized for India-EU cooperation in scientific research and technological advancement
are- i) Clean energy & climate: including offshore wind, solar parks, integration of renewables, green
hydrogen, smart grid technologies, battery recycling, EV charging standards, and biofuels; ii) AI & High-
Performance Computing (HPC): including ethical large language model development, responsible AI,
quantum computing, and HPC applications for climate, healthcare, and advanced industries; iii) Telecom and
IT Standardization: including 6G, Open RAN (ORAN) and Quantum communication; iv) Biotechnology &
bio-economy: including deep collaboration in vaccine development, precision biologics, enzyme technologies,
climate-resilient agriculture, and bio-manufacturing innovation; v) Water & marine sciences: including
wastewater treatment, marine pollution detection such as microplastics, blue-economy innovation, and ocean
health studies supported through joint calls and vi) Other sectors: EV & battery tech, quantum
communications, blue economy, ICT standardization, and vaccine R&D, under the broader TTC and S&T
agenda.
The BioE3 policy encourages a collaborative approach and active engagement with potential partnersand
stakeholders to synergize ongoing investments in biomanufacturing. The same is achieved
throughcollaborations with international partners, research institutions, universities, government agencies,
andpublic-private partnerships with startups and Indian industries. Scope for collaboration spans
platformtechnologies, early-stage innovation, as well as late-stage translational research. Leveraging
India’scurrent strengths in biologics manufacturing, the BioE3 Policyfurther enhances capacity for India to
serve as biomanufacturing hub for global innovation bypromoting the advance to key milestones on the path
to commercial scale operations.
Within the EU-India Clean Energy & Climate Partnership (CECP), established in 2016, both sides coordinate
energy-climate dialogue and promote joint projects in offshore wind, solar, smart grids and storage, rooftop
solar and energy efficiency. Government envisions clean technology cooperation centres on strengthening
supply chains for solar energy, offshore wind, and clean hydrogen by exchanging information on sectoral
capabilities and investment incentives and Research, Development and Innovation. India and the EU are
working on offshore wind projects under the Facilitating Offshore Wind in India (FOWIND) initiative.
This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science
and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of
Atomic Energy and Department of Space, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
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NKR/PSM(Release ID: 2153539)