An important part of the scientific-research and scientific-operational activity of the Institute is international cooperation. It is directed in the following directions:

• Joint publications with foreign scientists – between 15-20% of the articles published in the Institute have foreign participation.
• Joint publishing activity – carried out through the participation of foreign scientists in the editorial boards of the journals published by the Institute. Scientists from NIGGG participate in a large number of editorial boards of international publications.
• Participation in scientific networks, organizations and associations – NIGGG, through its employees and scientific-operational activity, participates in a number of scientific networks, such as: MagNetE, EU-TecNet, BGSpeleo-RadNet, ProKARSTerra, Mountain Research Initiative, SEEmore, BIOMETNET and GLOCAD2 and CEEPUS, Network for Mountain Research, Ecosystem Services Partnership, South Central and Eastern European Regional Information Network and others.

Scientists from the Institute are members of more than 30 scientific organizations, among which are: the International Astronomical Union, the International Geographical Union, the Earth Observation Group, the GPS Consortium for the Eastern Mediterranean and the Caucasus; UNAVCO (University NAVSTAR Consortium); Expert Communication System of Preparatory Commission for CNTBT. NIGGG with its National Seismological Service is a full member of ORFEUS and the International Seismological Center.

The National Data Center for Bulgaria (NDC-BG) was built at the International Data Center (IDC), Vienna. NIGGG is an operational center for the analysis of the European permanent GNSS network in its densification activity (EUREF Permanent Network Densification project).

The Institute participates in international data exchange through:

• Exchange of instrumental data – provision of real-time exchange of seismological data.
• Exchange of macroseismic data.
• International projects – scientists from the Institute participate in the implementation of joint international research projects, of which with bilateral cooperation agreements with the Hungarian and Czech Academies of Sciences, under the RP of the EU, NATO, UNESCO, etc., under COST and under other European and international programs and funds.
• Participation in international scientific forums.