On 6 October the 14th EU-India Summit took place in New Delhi. The summit also marked the 55th anniversary since the establishment of EU-India diplomatic relations. The Republic of India was represented by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, whereas the EU was represented by Mr. Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, and Mr. Jean Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission.
Among the topics discussed by the leaders, a focus was put on research and innovation. Both sides agreed to work towards reciprocal opening of the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation 'Horizon 2020' and Indian programmes and called for an intensified two-way mobility of researchers. To this extent, the two sides welcomed the conclusion of the Implementing Arrangement between India’s Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB) and the European Research Council (ERC). The Arrangement enables Indian researcher to undertake research visits with the ERC-supported teams in the EU and in the associated countries in order to develop linkages between researchers. The procedures of cooperation foreseen by the Arrangement establish that the European Research Council Executive Agency (ERCEA) solicits expressions of interest from Principal Investigators (PIs) holding ERC grants in hosting Indian researchers to contribute to their teams for a given period. ERCEA will then send to the SERB a list of the interested PIs/teams, together with a description of their respective ERC funded projects. Ultimately, the SERB will inform early career researcher and mentors of the collaborative opportunity.
A joint statement was adopted, reaffirming the commitment to strengthen the EU-India strategic partnership, based on shared principles and values of democracy, freedom, rule of law and respect for human rights and territorial integrity of States.
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