On 27 January 2026, the 16th EU-India Summit was held in New Delhi, marking a significant milestone with the signing of the new EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The agreement aims to strengthen strategic cooperation between the European Union and India, with a strong focus on innovation, research and advanced technologies. One of the key pillars of the EU-India FTA is the promotion of collaborative research in high-impact sectors such as biotechnology, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum technologies, clean technologies and advanced semiconductors. These areas are considered critical for long-term economic growth, technological sovereignty and global competitiveness on both sides.
The agreement places particular emphasis on healthcare and research ecosystems. As part of the new framework, EU-India Innovation Hubs will be established to facilitate structured dialogue, knowledge exchange and the development of joint research and innovation projects in emerging technologies. These hubs are expected to act as platforms connecting public institutions, industry stakeholders, research organisations and start-ups. In parallel, the European Union and India plan to launch an EU-India Startup Partnership, in cooperation with the European Innovation Council, Start-up India and EU Member States. The initiative aims to foster cross-border collaboration, support start-up scaling and encourage investment flows between the two innovation ecosystems. The potential association of India to Horizon Europe, the EU’s flagship research and innovation programme, is also under consideration, further reinforcing scientific cooperation.
Beyond innovation and research, the agreement outlines future collaboration in regulatory cooperation and health security capacity building. The EU and India have committed to working together to strengthen a resilient global health architecture, with a focus on core mandates, efficiency and the avoidance of duplication. This approach reflects shared priorities in preparedness, resilience and coordinated responses to global health challenges.