Today, the European Union (EU) and India have published two research and innovation calls, with a total of €41 million (₹394 crore), under the EU-India Trade and Technology Council (TTC): 

• Marine Plastic Litter
• Waste-to-Renewable Hydrogen

The two research calls aim to support India and the EU in jointly addressing major environmental challenges and developing scalable technological solutions with global impact.

Combatting Marine Pollution

The first call focuses on combating marine pollution, particularly the pervasive issue of marine plastic litter.

This call, co-funded by the EU (€12 million/~₹110 crore) and India's Ministry of Earth Sciences (₹90 crore/~€9.3 million), seeks innovative solutions to monitor, assess, and mitigate the cumulative impacts of various pollutants, including microplastics, heavy metals, and persistent organic pollutants. The resulting research will support international commitments such as the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and contribute to the objectives of the EU's Zero Pollution Action Plan and India's National Marine Litter Policy.

Waste-to-Renewable Hydrogen Solutions

The second call focuses the development of waste-to-renewable hydrogen technologies.

This call, co-funded by the EU (€10 million/~₹97 Core) and India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (₹90 crore/~€9.3 million), aims to develop efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly methods for hydrogen production.

Background

The EU-India Trade and Technology Council (TTC) is a high-level strategic coordination platform aimed at strengthening the bilateral partnership on trade, technology, and innovation. The decision to establish the TTC was jointly announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2022. The Council was formally launched in February 2023, and its first ministerial meeting took place in May 2023, in parallel with the ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.

As the EU’s second TTC (after the EU-US TTC), this mechanism reflects the growing geopolitical and economic alignment between the EU and India. It aims to promote secure, sustainable, and inclusive economic development while safeguarding shared democratic values.

By bringing together researchers, startups, and industries, these calls reinforce the EU-India Partnership and concretely operationalise the EU-India Trade and Technology council (TTC).

Future calls are planned for battery recycling (2026) and possible cooperation on wastewater treatment.

More information:

• EU-India TTC at a Glance: Click here
• EU- India TTC second ministerial meeting: Click here
• European Commission – Horizon Europe: Click here
• Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES): https://www.moes.gov.in/
• Ministry of New and Renewable Energy: https://mnre.gov.in/  

Quote:

Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, said: 

“Today, the EU and India are putting science, trust, and shared ambition to work. We’re investing in solutions that matter for people and the planet - cleaning our oceans and turning waste into clean energy. This is what a true partnership looks like: focused, practical, and rooted in common values.”