On 2026-02-06, the European Commission and the Government of India opened formal exploratory discussions on India’s potential association with Horizon Europe, the EU’s €93.5 billion research & innovation programme. The talks follow the 16th EU–India Summit in New Delhi, where leaders reaffirmed long-term cooperation on trade, security, science and innovation.

If the association proceeds, Indian researchers and institutions would become eligible for direct Horizon Europe funding and could lead collaborative projects with EU partners, a significant step towards deeper EU–India R&I integration.

Participation baseline

To date, Indian organisations have participated in around 81 Horizon Europe projects as third-country partners, without receiving direct EU funding. This possible association would mark a structural upgrade in cooperation, particularly in strategic areas such as digital technologies, clean energy and emerging science fields.

Strategic context and standardisation dimension

The discussions sit within the EU–India Strategic Agenda Towards 2030, endorsed at the January 2026 Summit, which places research and innovation at the centre of bilateral ties.

Beyond funding, the association also creates opportunities to strengthen research-driven standardisation. The EU’s Code of Practice on Standardisation encourages Horizon Europe projects to anticipate standardisation needs early, engage with technical bodies, and translate research results into European and international standards. Closer EU–India R&I integration could therefore facilitate earlier exchanges between Indian research actors and the European Standardisation System, supporting interoperability, smoother market access and global alignment in strategic technology areas.

Relevance for InDiCo-Global

India is one of InDiCo-Global’s targeted geographies, and the launch of exploratory talks signals a possible structural shift in EU–India research cooperation. For the project, this development reinforces the importance of understanding institutional readiness, policy maturity, and standardisation capacity across regions. As participation models evolve, structured exchange between research actors, policymakers, and standardisation stakeholders becomes increasingly important. Monitoring these dynamics and facilitating informed dialogue remains central to InDiCo-Global’s international engagement work.