To support high quality research, development and innovation of projects involving partners from Europe and India, India and the European Union will soon begin research on health with focus on 'Diagnostics and interventions in chronic non-communicable diseases'.

The focus areas of the research will include, development of tools and technologies for the diagnostics of chronic non-communicable diseases; research and innovation within interventions for chronic non-communicable diseases; and mechanisms in chronic non-communicable diseases.

This is the second multilateral call for proposals launched by the European Commission funded INNO-INDIGO Era-Net project. Research projects involving at least two European partners and one Indian partner will be funded under this programme. The aim of the project is to support high quality research and innovation projects involving partners from Europe and India. The INDIGO call for proposals aims at creating new collaborations between Europe and India or strengthening existing ones in thematic areas that address global challenges, thus favouring the development of innovative services and products.

The overall aim of the project is to continue the successful funding scheme set up under New INDIGO, hence, strengthening scientific, technology and business collaborations between Europe and India. INNO INDIGO aims to enhance participation in its funding scheme of innovation actors (in particular clusters of excellence and regions) and new funders, with the objective to “bring ideas – through collaboration – to the market”

The Department of Science and Technology (DST)'s initiative in this regard is significant as India’s considerable economic growth over the last decades and the resulting change of lifestyle, as well as increasing air and water pollution has led to an increase of chronic diseases such as diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, hypertension, skin diseases etc. For instance, the burden of acquired non-communicable skin disorders such as vitiligo and psoriasis is exacerbated by direct contact with the environment. The chronic nature of these diseases imposes a significant cost burden for both the EU and India. In addition, the financial and subsequent economic crisis has had a large impact on healthcare budgets – also in many European countries - which has created a higher demand for cost-efficient and affordable healthcare solutions.

Therefore, India and the EU share common challenges in the field of health. In particular, chronic non-communicable diseases present a significant burden to individuals and healthcare systems. Additionally, specific mechanisms are likely to be at play in the different environments of India and Europe; these should be studied in parallel with expected new insights in the understanding of corresponding diseases.

To reduce both the human toll and high costs of healthcare in both the EU and India, affordable, practical, and effective approaches and technologies for understanding, preventing and treating chronic non-communicable diseases and their complications are required.
India and the EU represent populations of approx. 1.2 and 0.5 billion inhabitants respectively, whose expectations for increased quality of life and reduction of disease burdens are high.