India-EU Renew Agreement on Science and Technological Cooperation

India and the European Union (EU) have renewed their agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation for the next five years (2020-2025).

India and the European Union (EU) have renewed their agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation for the next five years (2020-2025). The agreement was extended by the exchange of Note Verbale between two sides. The Agreement was initially signed on November 23, 2001, and has since been renewed two times in the past in 2007 and 2015, respectively.

The cooperation has been focused on water, green transport, e-mobility, clean energy, circular economy, bio-economy, health, and ICT. Additional areas, such as climate change, sustainable urban development, manufacturing, advanced materials, nanotechnologies and biotechnology, food processing, and ocean research may also be considered in future endeavours.

The new extension will expand the cooperation in scientific and technological research to strengthen the conduct of cooperative activities in areas of common interest and application of the results of such cooperation to their economic and social benefit. Cooperative activities may take the forms of reciprocal participation of Indian research and European research entities in research, technological development, and demonstration projects under each other programme.

The agreement to renew the collaboration was reached at the 15th India-EU Summit, a virtual one which was led by  Prime Minister Narendra Modi from India’s side. The EU delegation was headed by European Council President Charles Michel and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

India and the European Union have strong research and innovation cooperation under the framework of said “Agreement,” and it has grown steadily over the years. In the last 5 years, the level of co-investment on India-EU Research Technology Development Projects for addressing societal challenges such as affordable healthcare, water, energy, food & nutrition has been stepped up resulted in several technologies, patents development, their gainful utilisation, joint research publications, sharing of research facility and, exchange of scientists and students from both sides.

The two members are at the forefront of human development and innovation. For India, addressing the basic needs of its people, including through frugal innovation, and excelling in high-tech markets are twin objectives. Both areas offer mutually beneficial opportunities for EU-India cooperation. Increased exchanges between students, researchers, and professionals would benefit both sides. India and the EU share a mutual interest in reciprocal mobility of talent.

“The mobility of researchers and innovators would be promoted in both directions. The EU-India cooperation should also foster innovation by promoting networking between EU and Indian innovators, start-ups, incubators, and accelerators, by setting up joint platforms, both offline and virtual, and engaging in coaching, training and staff exchanges. Highly qualified workers could be integrated into Indian and EU-led innovation systems industries and help maintain technology-based leadership and sharing of best practices, internationalisation of SMEs, and contributing in the global value chain,” a press statement from the Indian side read.