India and the European Union (EU) have jointly launched two major research and innovation initiatives focused on Marine Plastic Litter and Waste to Green Hydrogen, under the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC). Established in 2022 to strengthen trade and technology ties, the TTC now facilitates a joint investment of ₹391 crore (~€41 million), co-funded by Horizon Europe and the Government of India.

The first initiative targets the global challenge of marine pollution, especially plastic litter, with a combined funding of ₹205 crore (~€21.3 million). It aims to develop innovative tools to monitor, assess, and mitigate pollutants, including microplastics, heavy metals, and persistent organic compounds. This effort aligns with the UN Decade of Ocean Science, the EU’s Zero Pollution Action Plan, and India’s National Marine Litter Policy.

The second initiative focuses on converting biogenic waste into green hydrogen, supporting the global transition to clean energy. With funding of ₹186 crore (~€19.7 million), the initiative is aligned with the EU Hydrogen Strategy and India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission.

Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Ajay Kumar Sood, emphasised the importance of collaborative research to address shared environmental challenges. EU Ambassador to India, Hervé Delphin, highlighted the strategic nature of this partnership, saying it demonstrates the EU-India collaboration’s growing momentum and potential to drive innovation and sustainability.

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Senior Indian officials, including Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary at the PSA Office, and Secretaries Santosh Kumar Sarangi (MNRE) and M. Ravichandran (MoES), also underscored the significance of these initiatives in achieving sustainable development and energy security. 

From the European Commission, Marc Lemaître, Director-General for Research and Innovation, reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to co-invest in clean technologies and circular economy solutions through these coordinated research calls.

This India-EU collaboration marks a significant step toward addressing critical environmental and energy challenges through joint innovation and sustainable development.

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