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Key Points

India and the European Union have launched two key initiatives to tackle marine plastic litter and waste-to-green hydrogen solutions. This venture under the India-EU Trade and Technology Council, established by Prime Minister Modi and European Commission President von der Leyen, aims to strengthen their bilateral partnership. With a joint investment, these projects will leverage the expertise of Indian and European researchers. This collaboration signifies a strong commitment to innovation, environmental sustainability, and economic growth.

Key Points: Modi and von der Leyen Initiate India-EU Green Tech Partnership

  • India-EU unveil major green initiatives
  • Focus on marine litter and waste-to-hydrogen
  • Projects supported by Horizon Europe and India
2 min read

India, EU to find solutions for marine plastic litter, waste to green hydrogen

India and EU launch initiatives for marine litter and green hydrogen solutions, boosting joint research.

"Collaborative research is the cornerstone of innovation. - Professor Ajay Kumar Sood"

New Delhi, May 16

India and the European Union (EU) have launched two major research and innovation initiatives that focus on marine plastic litter and waste-to-green-hydrogen solutions.

The initiatives were launched under the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC), established in 2022 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen to strengthen the bilateral partnership on trade and technology.

With a joint investment of Rs 391 crore, the initiatives focus on two coordinated calls in the areas of Marine Plastic Litter (MPL) and Waste to Green Hydrogen (W2GH), co-funded by Horizon Europe — the EU’s research and innovation framework programme — and the Indian government.

"Collaborative research is the cornerstone of innovation. These initiatives will harness the strengths of both Indian and European researchers to develop solutions that address our shared environmental challenges", said Professor Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the government.

Highlighting the increasing momentum of the EU-India collaboration, Herve Delphin, EU Ambassador to India, remarked, “These research calls under the EU-India Trade and Technology Council demonstrate the dynamism of the EU India partnership, renewed by our leaders in Delhi last February”.

“By tackling concrete issues like marine pollution and sustainable energy together, we’re driving innovation, circular economy and energy efficiency. Development of cutting-edge technologies in these areas makes both economic and environmental sense. We are committed to a cleaner, more sustainable future that will benefit both the EU and India,” Delphin mentioned.

Despite global efforts, marine pollution continues to threaten biodiversity, disrupt ecosystems, and impact human health.

Dr M. Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, said "Marine pollution is a global concern that requires collective action. This joint call will enable us to develop advanced tools and strategies to protect our marine ecosystems."​

The second coordinated call addresses the urgent need for sustainable energy solutions through the development of waste-to-green hydrogen technologies.

Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, said that "Advancing waste-to-hydrogen technologies is crucial for our energy transition goals. This collaboration will accelerate the development of sustainable hydrogen production methods."​

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya K.
This is a fantastic initiative! India's coastline is precious and marine pollution affects our fishermen's livelihoods. Glad to see EU-India collaboration on this. Hope the research leads to practical solutions we can implement quickly. 🙏
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Rahul S.
Waste to green hydrogen sounds promising but I hope they consider our local conditions. Many foreign technologies fail here because they don't account for India's diverse waste composition. The research must involve Indian scientists closely.
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Ananya M.
₹391 crore is a big investment! While the goals are noble, I hope there's proper accountability. We've seen many such projects where funds get wasted without visible results. The government should provide regular updates to citizens.
V
Vikram J.
As someone from Chennai, I've seen how marine litter affects our beaches. This partnership could be game-changing if they develop affordable cleanup technologies. Maybe involve local communities too - they know the coastal areas best.
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Sunita P.
Green hydrogen from waste? Brilliant! But will it be cost-effective? We need solutions that don't end up being too expensive for common people. Also, hope they consider safety aspects - hydrogen can be dangerous if not handled properly.
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Karan D.
Good move, but we shouldn't depend only on foreign collaborations. India has brilliant scientists - hope our research institutions get equal say in these projects. Atmanirbhar Bharat should apply to green tech too! 💪
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Neha R.
While the focus is on technology, we must also work on reducing waste generation at source. No amount of

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