NEW DELHI: A high-level European Union delegation, led by Ms Ekaterina Zaharieva, currently on India visit, on Thursday called on Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh and discussed primarily the StartUp and innovation collaborations.
The meeting between Ekaterina, who is the European Union Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation and the Indian Minister marks a significant milestone in India-EU cooperation in the field of science and technology.
The Science and Technology Minister emphasized the longstanding partnership between India and the European Union, which dates back to the signing of the India-EU Science and Technology Agreement in 2001, renewed in 2015 and 2020, and set to be renewed once again for the period 2025-2030.
Dr. Jitendra Singh credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his visionary leadership and unwavering support, which has played a pivotal role in India’s remarkable leap in science and technology. He noted that PM Modi has been instrumental in steering the country towards becoming a hub of cutting-edge research, fostering innovation, and driving transformative initiatives across various scientific domains.
During the discussions, Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted several key areas where India and the EU can collaborate further to drive innovation and sustainable development. These areas include:Water Resource Management,Clean Energy & Smart Grids.Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data & Robotics,Healthcare (including Vaccine Development and Pandemic Preparedness),Climate Change & Polar Research
The Minister stressed that collaboration in these areas would harness the strengths of both India and Europe, with an emphasis on increasing synergy and sharing knowledge and resources.
Dr. Singh underscored India’s commitment to advancing joint research initiatives with the EU, particularly during the period from 2020 to 2024. He referred to ongoing projects such as:Department of Science and Technology (DST): Projects on Water, Energy, AI, Data, and Robotics,Department of Biotechnology (DBT): Collaborative work on Water Resources and Vaccine Development, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES): Joint research on Climate Change and Polar Research
The Minister emphasized India’s substantial contribution to these projects, amounting to €20.92 million. He also named several noteworthy achievements and projects, including:Geospatial Mapping of Point/Non-Point Pollution Sources (SPRING), PAVITRA GANGA: Demonstration of novel wastewater treatment technologies at Kanpur and Barapullah, New Delhi,ENDFLU: Development of an improved influenza vaccine (Myn002) for better protection against drifted influenza strains,BRIC-THSTI: Development of domestic influenza vaccine testing capacity through the ENDFLU and INCENTIVE projects
The Minister of Earth Sciences, Dr. Singh, further emphasized the importance of international collaboration in addressing oceanic and climatic challenges. Key areas of research include:
Ocean warming, deoxygenation, and acidification,Polar climate studies,Ocean forecasting,Dr. Jitendra Singh stressed the need for global cooperation to address these threats and ensure the health of the planet’s ecosystems.
Potential Areas for Future India-EU Collaboration
Looking ahead, Dr. Jitendra Singh outlined several promising areas for future India-EU collaboration:
Quantum Research: India’s emerging Quantum R&D capabilities combined with the EU’s advanced quantum hardware can lead to breakthroughs in secure communication and computing.Bioeconomy: India’s first-of-its-kind Bioeconomy (BioE3) policy, along with the EU’s expertise, can foster growth in the sector.Green Hydrogen: India’s scaling renewable hydrogen projects, paired with the EU’s leadership in electrolysis technology, can drive transformational change in energy.Battery Technology & Blue Economy: Exploring innovations in energy storage and sustainable use of ocean resources.High-Performance Computing: Enhancing computational capabilities for scientific and industrial applications.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also highlighted India’s commitment to tackling climate change through clean energy collaboration, particularly in offshore wind and solar projects. This, he said, would help meet the ambitious climate targets set by both India and the EU.
The S&T Minister pointed out that India’s National AI Mission, backed by substantial funding, will be a key area for collaboration between India and the EU. He emphasized the potential for both regions to lead in AI safety and security, ensuring the development of AI in a sustainable, equitable, and inclusive manner.
In the health sector, Dr. Singh identified several key areas where India and the EU can collaborate:
Infectious and Non-Infectious Diseases,Novel Therapeutics, Biologicals, and Early Diagnostics,Drug Repurposing,AI in Healthcare,Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR),One Health Approach
He stressed that the partnership between India and Europe could extend to these critical health challenges, which have global implications.
From the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, Marc Lemaître, Director-General; Nienke Buisman, Head of Unit, Innovation, Prosperity, and International Cooperation; and from the Cabinet of the Commissioner, Sophie Alexandrova, Deputy Head of Cabinet, along with Ivan Dimov, Member of Cabinet; Pierrick Fillon-Ashida, First Counsellor & Head of the Research & Innovation Section; Dr. Vivek Dham, Policy Officer, Research & Innovation Section, EU Delegation to India, were part of the delegation.
Dr. Jitendra Singh concluded the discussions by reiterating India’s deep commitment to strengthening its partnership with the European Union in science and technology. He expressed confidence that the shared vision for collaboration in key sectors will create a pathway to solving global challenges and advancing mutual interests.
