India, July 16 -- India and the European Union on Wednesday agreed to start formal negotiations on Delhi's association with Horizon Europe, the 27-member bloc's key funding programme for research and innovation, and launch a bilateral startup partnership focused on deep tech clean technologies.

During the 3rd EU-India Trade and Technology Council (TTC) meeting, attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Minister of State for Electronics and IT Jitin Prasada, the two sides also reviewed progress on digital connectivity and strategic technologies; clean and green technologies; and trade, investment and resilient value chains, said a press release.

"We will be starting negotiations ...