India has announced an investment of more than €7 million in a major scientific research project in Italy, aimed at strengthening advanced research capabilities and expanding international scientific cooperation.
The investment will be made over five years, beginning in 2026–27, under the Elettra 2.0 programme at the Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste research facility in Italy.
India’s Minister of State for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, announced the commitment during his visit to the facility on November 13.
According to India’s Ministry of Science and Technology, the funding will support the development of next-generation synchrotron beamlines, which use powerful beams of light to examine the structure and properties of materials at extremely small scales.
The upgraded facilities are expected to expand research opportunities in chemistry, physics, advanced materials and structural biology, benefiting scientists from India and other countries.
The investment also marks a new phase in more than 25 years of scientific cooperation between India and Italy.
Indian scientists have conducted experiments at the Elettra research facility since 1998, making India the second-largest user of the facility after Italy.
According to the ministry, Indian research groups have submitted more than 1,100 experimental proposals to Elettra over the years.
The Indian government has also supported scientists through the Indo-Italian Executive Programme of Cooperation, which provides funding for researchers to conduct experiments at the facility.
Under the 2022–2024 programme, India allocated Rs. 2 crore to support research visits, while further funding has been proposed for the 2025–2027 period.
The latest investment is expected to strengthen India’s access to advanced scientific infrastructure and create new opportunities for research collaboration between the two countries. (Newswire)