New Delhi: India and the European Union (EU) have reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing scientific collaboration during the India-European Union Meeting on Science & Technology Cooperation, held on February 27, 2025, at the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Vigyan Bhawan Annexe, New Delhi. This meeting was part of the sectoral discussions held in conjunction with the two-day visit of H.E. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, to India, along with the College of Commissioners.
The high-level meeting was co-chaired by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, and Ekaterina Zaharieva, EU Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation.
During the discussions, both sides focused on strengthening the long-standing India-EU Science & Technology Agreement, originally signed in 2001 and renewed in 2015 and 2020. The agreement is set to be extended for the 2025-2030 period. This partnership has been vital in advancing collaborative research in areas such as clean energy, water resource management, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and climate change. The meeting also highlighted key achievements in wastewater treatment, smart grid technologies, vaccine innovations, and deep-sea exploration, which have become significant areas of cooperation between the two regions.
India’s growing role as a global leader in innovation was also recognized, particularly its rise as the third-largest creator of startups and unicorns worldwide. The discussions further explored India’s emerging leadership in renewable energy, biopharmaceuticals, artificial intelligence, biomanufacturing, and biotechnology, positioning the country as a key player in future global research and development.
Looking ahead, the meeting explored potential future collaborations in quantum computing, bioeconomy, green hydrogen, the blue economy, electric vehicles and battery technology, high-performance computing, and responsible artificial intelligence. Both sides agreed on the importance of joint funding mechanisms, greater scientific exchange programs, and stronger public-private partnerships to accelerate innovation and address shared global challenges.
The meeting saw active participation from senior officials, including Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology, Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology, and other prominent scientists and experts from India. From the European Commission, Zaharieva was joined by Marc Lemaître, Director-General of the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, Nienke Buisman, Head of Unit for International Cooperation, and other senior delegates.
In their concluding remarks, Prof. Sood and Zaharieva reiterated their shared commitment to leveraging the collective expertise of both regions to tackle global challenges and promote scientific collaboration. The meeting concluded with a networking session, where stakeholders discussed practical steps for scaling up joint projects. The India-EU Science & Technology Agreement continues to play a crucial role in fostering innovation and enhancing economic and technological cooperation between the two regions.