India and Italy Plan Joint Research Call for 2027 in AI & Tech

India and Italy are accelerating their scientific and technological partnership. Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Dr. Jitendra Singh recently met with Italy’s Minister of University and Research Anna Maria Bernini. Both leaders discussed expanding joint research and innovation under the broader India-Italy Strategic Partnership.

The high-level meeting focused on turning bilateral agreements into practical scientific projects. Both nations aim to connect their research ecosystems and drive breakthroughs in frontier technologies. As a major outcome, India and Italy are preparing to launch a new joint research call in 2027.

Priority Research Areas for the 2027 Joint Call

Under their bilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), India and Italy will target three transformative sectors for the 2027 research call:

1. Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Computing: Collaborating on Artificial Intelligence (AI), High-Performance Computing (HPC), and Big Data analytics to solve complex computational challenges.

2. Clean Technologies and Renewable Energy: Advancing green hydrogen, clean energy systems, and sustainable energy transitions.

3. Advanced Biotechnology and Biomedical Research: Developing cutting-edge healthcare solutions in gene therapy, mRNA technologies, and biomanufacturing.

Decades of Bilateral Science Cooperation

Scientific ties between New Delhi and Rome span nearly five decades. Both nations signed their first Inter-governmental Agreement on Science and Technology in 1978 and renewed it on November 28, 2003.

This foundational pact promotes:

• Knowledge sharing on national research and innovation policies.

• Bilateral exchanges of scientists, scholars, and researchers.

• Joint industrial research and development (R&D) projects.

• Co-hosted scientific workshops and academic conferences.

Strategic Partnership and Joint Action Plan (2025–2029)

India and Italy elevated their ties to a Strategic Partnership in 2023. In November 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni unveiled the Joint Strategic Action Plan (JSAP) for 2025–2029, establishing a five-year roadmap for deeper technological collaboration.

Momentum accelerated in April 2025 when Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani and Minister Anna Maria Bernini visited New Delhi. During that visit, India’s Ministry of Science and Technology and Italy’s Ministry of University and Research signed a dedicated MoU to operationalize the Joint Strategic Action Plan.

Indo-Italian Executive Programme of Cooperation (EPOC)

India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs actively fund joint research through the Indo-Italian Executive Programme of Cooperation (EPOC). To date, EPOC has supported more than 150 collaborative projects.

Signed on April 10, 2025, the active EPOC for 2025–2027 jointly funds 20 research proposals—split equally between 10 Researcher Mobility grants and 10 Significant Research projects.

Science and Innovation Dialogue 2026

Following the inaugural dialogue in New Delhi in April 2025, the Second India-Italy Science and Innovation Dialogue 2026 brings together universities, research institutes, and technology incubators from both nations. This broad participation links academic discovery directly with commercial entrepreneurship.

During his official visit to Italy from November 11 to 15, 2026, Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized the vital role of the India-Italy Joint Scientific Council (IIJSC) in steering these initiatives. He assured Rome of New Delhi’s full commitment to turning shared Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) strengths into tangible global solutions.

Partnership Snapshot: India–Italy Science & Tech Cooperation