On 15 July 2026, the European Union and India held their third Trade and Technology Council (TTC) meeting, with Commissioners Maroš Šefčovič, Henna Virkkunen, and Iliana Zaharieva announcing a series of concrete cooperation measures spanning semiconductors, digital trust services, 6G, and research. The meeting marked a shift from dialogue to practical delivery, with ministers and commissioners tasking the three TTC working groups to prioritise follow-up actions and report regularly on progress.
Commissioner Zaharieva highlighted several deliverables agreed since the previous TTC meeting in New Delhi six months earlier. Notably, the EU and India have agreed to launch formal negotiations for India's association with Horizon Europe, the EU's flagship research programme, on 17 July 2026, with the aim of concluding talks by early October so that India can participate as of the beginning of 2027. A new EU-India startup partnership was established to connect deep tech startups with corporations, attract investments, and help them scale globally. The EU-India Innovation Hub will focus on aligning standards for electric vehicles and testing, which is expected to facilitate market access under the forthcoming free trade agreement. Additionally, the EU is mobilising €60 million for joint research and innovation projects in areas such as waste-to-renewable hydrogen, battery recycling for electric vehicles, and marine plastic pollution.
Executive Vice-President Virkkunen outlined cooperation on semiconductors, noting that the EU will work with India towards a practical framework on supply-chain early warning and strengthen collaboration in research, development, and capacity building. On digital governance, the EU and India will intensify coordination on next-generation telecoms, including 6G, and build on the January 2026 administrative agreement on advanced electronic signatures and seals to work towards interoperable and mutually recognised digital trust services, including digital wallets. The European Legal Gateway Office pilot in India, launched earlier in 2026 to support mobility for ICT workers, is now fully operational.
Commissioner Šefčovič reported progress on trade and investment, reaffirming support for WTO reform and resolving market access issues. He emphasised that the EU-India Free Trade Agreement, finalised at the EU-India Summit, is a 'gamechanger' that will create a market of almost 2 billion people and provide a stable commercial framework amid geopolitical volatility. He also called for unblocking negotiations on an Investment Protection Agreement and an Agreement on Geographical Indications to further boost the economic relationship.
The TTC meeting underscored the growing ambition of the EU-India strategic partnership, with a clear emphasis on delivery. The announcements represent a significant deepening of bilateral ties, with potential impacts on EU and Indian tech startups, semiconductor supply chains, and research communities. The Horizon association would give Indian researchers access to EU funding, while the startup partnership and innovation hub aim to reduce trade barriers and foster joint innovation. However, the success of these initiatives depends on swift ratification of the FTA and progress on the accompanying investment and GI agreements.