Ø India-EU Partnership Opens New Avenues
for Cooperation in AI, Quantum Technologies, Semiconductors and Advanced Research:
Dr. Jitendra Singh
Ø Minister Calls for Stronger India-EU Collaboration
on Climate, Clean and Green Technologies and Green Hydrogen
Ø India Seeks Tangible Outcomes from Trade
and Technology Council and Greater Research Collaboration through Horizon Europe
Ø Science, Technology and Innovation to
Remain Key Pillars of Expanding India-EU Strategic Partnership says Dr. Jitendra
Singh
·
European
Parliament ITRE delegation:
A delegation from the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research
& Energy (ITRE), led by Angelika
Winzig (Austria) and including MEPs
from several EU countries, met Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on 22 September 2026.
·
India–EU
FTA: Dr.
Jitendra Singh stressed that early
and effective implementation of the India–EU Free Trade Agreement should be a
collective priority. India sought continued European Parliament
support for the early
signing and ratification of the agreement.
·
Expected
FTA benefits: The
Minister said the FTA would create opportunities for businesses, consumers and skilled
professionals, while strengthening the broader India–EU
strategic partnership.
·
Science
& research: India
highlighted science, research and innovation as central to Viksit Bharat 2047, with
emphasis on high-impact research, commercialisation of research outcomes and
greater industry participation.
·
ANRF
& RDI initiative: The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF)
and the €10 billion
Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) initiative were
highlighted as instruments to promote high-risk/high-impact research and
deep-tech startups.
·
Critical
& emerging technologies:
India invited greater EU cooperation in:
o Artificial Intelligence
o Quantum technologies
o Advanced materials
o Biotechnology
o Semiconductors
o High-performance computing
o Next-generation telecommunications,
including 6G
·
AI
cooperation: India
expressed particular interest in AI applications in healthcare and scientific research,
alongside responsible and trustworthy AI adoption.
·
Quantum
technology: India
sees scope for EU collaboration covering research,
applications, skills development and the wider quantum ecosystem.
·
Semiconductors: India’s expanding semiconductor and
electronics ecosystem and the EU’s efforts to build secure and resilient semiconductor
supply chains offer opportunities for cooperation in R&D, innovation, investment and
ecosystem development, including synergies between India’s
semiconductor initiatives and the EU
Chips framework.
·
Clean
& green technologies:
Cooperation was discussed on climate
change, environmental challenges and clean technologies.
·
€60
million TTC investment: Under
the India–EU Trade and
Technology Council (TTC), substantial progress has been made on
clean/green technology workstreams, including a €60 million joint investment over four years
for collaborative research on:
o Waste-to-hydrogen
o Marine pollution
o Recycling of electric-vehicle batteries
·
EV
charging: India
and the EU are developing an India–EU
Innovation Hub on Electric Vehicle Charging Technologies and Testing,
combining research capabilities, testing infrastructure, standards expertise
and startup ecosystems.
·
Hydrogen
cooperation: Both
sides are sharing knowledge on Hydrogen
Valleys and exploring cooperation on hydrogen safety standards.
India also sees potential for green-hydrogen
exports to the EU in the medium term.
·
Horizon
Europe:
India’s proposed association with Horizon
Europe was discussed. Negotiations are progressing, with
substantial convergence but some legal,
financial and institutional issues still under discussion.
·
Research-industry
linkage: India
invited the ITRE delegation to identify areas where Indian and European
priorities can converge, particularly for joint research, technology development and commercial
scale-up.
·
Strategic
significance: The
meeting reinforced the potential for India–EU cooperation across FTA implementation, science and
technology, critical supply chains, semiconductors, AI, quantum technology,
clean technologies and innovation, alongside the TTC and
Horizon Europe processes.
[ABS News Service/23.09.2026]
European Parliament Committee delegation
on Industry, Research & Energy (ITRE), led by Angelika Winzig
and Austria, Raffaele Stancanelli, on 22 September, 2026 called on Union Minister
of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences and
MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra
Singh and held a wide range discussion, with focus on effective implementation of
the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and deeper cooperation with the European
Union in science, technology, research and, critical and emerging technologies.
The Minister said the India-EU strategic
partnership offers significant opportunities for closer collaboration in areas of
mutual priority, with science and research forming an integral part of the partnership.
The European Parliament delegation comprised
Member, ITRE; Angelika Winzig, MEP, Austria, Raffaele
Stancanelli, MEP, and Full Member, ITRE; Mohammed Chahim, MEP, Netherlands, S&D
Vice-President and Full Member, ITRE; Raúl de la Hoz Quintano, MEP, Spain and Full
Member, ITRE; Nicolás González Casares, MEP, Spain and Full Member, ITRE; Morten
Løkkegaard, MEP, Denmark and Full Member, ITRE; Jüri Ratas, MEP, Estonia and Full
Member, ITRE; and Virginijus Sinkevičius, MEP, Lithuania and Full Member, ITRE.
The Indian side, led by Minister Dr Jitendra
Singh, comprised Dr. Rajiv Jaiswal, Department of Space; Dr. Nisha Mendiratta and
Dr. Praveenkumar Somasundaram, Department of Science & Technology; Dr. Dhananjay
Tiwary, Department of Biotechnology; Dr. Prabhasis Bandyopadhyay,
CSIR; Dr. Anil Chauhan, Department of Atomic Energy; Dr. Ekta Kapoor, Department
of Science & Technology; and Ms. Nidhi Choudhary, Ministry of External Affairs.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation,
Angelika Winzig, MEP from Austria and Full Member of ITRE, thanked the Minister
for the meeting and said that India is a key strategic partner for the European
Union. She said the delegation’s visit was aimed at gaining a deeper understanding
of India’s industrial and technology policies and identifying areas for closer cooperation.
She referred to shared interests in strengthening industrial competitiveness, ensuring
secure and resilient critical supply chains, and advancing the green and digital
transitions, while welcoming continued dialogue between India and the European Parliament
on these issues.
During the discussions, Dr. Jitendra Singh
said the early and effective implementation of the India-EU FTA should remain a
collective priority and expressed India’s expectation of continued support from
the European Parliament for its early signing and ratification. He said the FTA
would open new opportunities for businesses, consumers and skilled professionals
and provide further momentum to the multifaceted India-EU strategic partnership.
On India’s research and innovation priorities,
the Minister said research and innovation are central to the Government’s vision
of Viksit Bharat 2047, with greater focus on high-impact research, translation of
research into technologies and products, and increased industry participation. He
referred to the Anusandhan National Research Foundation
(ANRF) and the EUR 10 billion Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) initiative,
aimed at catalysing high-risk, high-impact research and nurturing deep-tech startups.
Dr. Jitendra Singh invited greater India-EU
cooperation in frontier and emerging areas including Artificial Intelligence, quantum
technologies, advanced materials, biotechnology and semiconductors, besides high-performance
computing and next-generation telecommunications, including 6G. He said quantum
technologies offer significant scope for cooperation across research, applications,
skills and development of the wider quantum ecosystem. In AI, India is particularly
interested in applications in areas such as healthcare and science, while ensuring
responsible and trustworthy adoption.
On semiconductors, the Minister said India’s
growing semiconductor and electronics ecosystem and the EU’s efforts towards resilient
and secure semiconductor supply chains provide scope for greater cooperation. He
said synergies could be explored between India’s semiconductor initiatives and the
EU Chips framework in areas including research, innovation, investment and ecosystem
development.
The Minister also called for stronger
collaboration on clean and green technologies, climate and environmental challenges,
identifying these as important areas for research cooperation. Under the India-EU
Trade and Technology Council (TTC), substantial progress has been made on priority
clean and green technology workstreams, including a EUR 60 million joint investment
over four years to support collaborative research on waste-to-hydrogen, marine pollution
and recycling of electric vehicle batteries.
The discussions also covered the proposed
India-EU Innovation Hub on Electric Vehicle Charging Technologies and Testing, which
is being developed as a platform bringing together research capacity, testing infrastructure,
standards expertise and startup ecosystems from both sides. India and the EU are
also sharing knowledge on Hydrogen Valleys and working towards cooperation on hydrogen-related
safety standards. Dr. Jitendra Singh said the potential of cooperation in green
hydrogen could also support greater trade and investment, including green hydrogen
exports from India to the EU over the medium term.
On the Horizon Europe programme, Dr. Jitendra
Singh said India’s association would expand opportunities for Indian researchers
to partner with European institutions in cutting-edge research areas of mutual priority.
He said discussions on India’s association are progressing well, with substantial
convergence, while some legal, financial and institutional issues remain under discussion.
India remains committed to concluding the negotiations expeditiously and looks forward
to an arrangement that is balanced, mutually beneficial and expands opportunities
for researchers, institutions and industry.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also invited the ITRE
delegation to identify areas where Indian and European research and innovation priorities
can converge, particularly where collaboration can lead to joint research, technology
development and scale-up. He said India sees Europe as a significant research partner
given its strong research institutions, advanced research infrastructure and innovation
ecosystem.
The meeting covered India’s research priorities,
critical and emerging technologies, implementation and follow-up of the India-EU
Trade and Technology Council, and the state of play on India’s association with
Horizon Europe, reinforcing the scope for further engagement across science, technology,
innovation and clean technologies.