Did Ireland help India during COVID-19?

Yes. According to the MEA brief of May 2026, Ireland sent 1248 oxygen concentrators, 425 ventilators and 2 oxygen generators to India in two consignments under the EU-ECHO mechanism.

Were India and Ireland on the UN Security Council together?

Yes. Both were elected non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for 2021-22, and held bilateral consultations on UNSC issues online on 25 February 2021.

What science cooperation exists between India and Ireland?

The brief lists an Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation and a 2006 agreement between Science Foundation Ireland and the Indian National Science Academy. New forms of collaboration between India's Department of Science and Technology and Science Foundation Ireland are being explored.

India and Ireland: health, science and security cooperation

This article describes cooperation between India and Ireland in specific fields: assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, health, science and technology, information and digital technology, work at the UN Security Council, counter-terrorism, and diplomatic, parliamentary and judicial exchanges. It is based on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief of May 2026.

Assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic

According to the MEA brief of May 2026, Ireland sent emergency medical assistance to India during the COVID-19 pandemic under the EU-ECHO mechanism. The assistance was sent in two consignments and consisted of:

1248 oxygen concentrators
425 ventilators
2 oxygen generators

Health

An MoU on Health and Medicine is listed in the brief as being in the pipeline. In November 2019, the Minister of Health, Child Care and Social Justice of Kerala visited Ireland and, according to the brief, had very constructive discussions with key health care stakeholders.

Science and technology

The brief lists an Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation among the agreements signed between the two countries. It also lists an Agreement on Cooperation between Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and the Indian National Science Academy, signed in 2006. As of the brief, new forms of science and technology collaboration between India's Department of Science and Technology and Science Foundation Ireland are being explored.

Information and digital technology

An MOU on a Joint Working Group on Information Technology was signed in April 2000. More recently, Irish Minister of State Ms. Niamh Smyth, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Transformation, visited New Delhi in February 2026 to participate in the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

Work at the UN Security Council

India and Ireland were both elected as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for 2021-22. The brief states that this gave opportunities to work on shared priorities of multilateralism, climate change, peacekeeping and a rule based international order in the post-Covid era.

Bilateral consultations on UNSC issues were held online on 25 February 2021. The Irish Minister for Transport and Environment, Climate and Communications participated, through VTC mode, in the Open Debate on Maritime Security hosted by the Prime Minister of India on 09 August 2021. The brief describes that debate as a key event of India's Presidency of the UNSC for the month of August 2021.

Counter-terrorism

The brief states that Ireland has consistently supported India in its fight against terror. After the Pulwama cross-border terrorist incident, the then Irish Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Simon Coveney issued a statement on 19 February 2019 strongly condemning the suicide bombing.

In that statement, according to the brief, he expressed concern at the increasing levels of violence in the region. He also said that Ireland would continue to work with India and the international community to support a comprehensive international response to preventing and countering terrorism.

Diplomatic exchanges

A group of Indian diplomats visited Ireland in December 2025 for a week-long exposure under the India-Ireland Diplomatic Exchange Program. Earlier, Niall Burgess, Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland, visited India in May 2019 to exchange views on issues of mutual interest.

Parliamentary and judicial exchanges

The brief states that India-Ireland Parliamentary Friendship Groups have been established by both sides in their respective Parliaments. A delegation led by Dr. C.P Joshi, Speaker of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly, visited Ireland from 29 June to 02 July 2023 as part of a study tour ahead of the 66th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC).

In the judicial sphere, an Indian Supreme Court Judge paid an official cum private visit to Ireland from 26 May to 03 June 2024. The visit was for meetings related to the Centenary Celebrations of the Establishment of Ireland's Independent Court System.