Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday invited envoys from over 50 countries to engage with India’s innovation-driven and multidisciplinary education ecosystem, highlighting opportunities for global collaboration in research, learning, and institutional partnerships.
Addressing the Study in India Edu-Diplomatic Conclave 2026 at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, Pradhan emphasised India’s position as a key player in the global knowledge and economic landscape. He highlighted that the country offers extensive avenues for students, researchers, and institutions to learn, innovate, and implement solutions across sectors.
Pradhan spoke of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for India to achieve developed nation status by 2047, coinciding with the centenary of Independence. He underlined that the transformation of India’s education system under the National Education Policy 2020 has enabled significant progress in internationalisation, quality, affordability, and innovation.
“India’s strength lies in its vibrant knowledge ecosystem, demographic dividend, and rapidly growing economy,” Pradhan said. He noted that initiatives such as NEP 2020 and the Study in India programme are expanding global pathways for students and academic institutions, fostering international collaboration in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, semiconductors, and sustainable energy.
Pradhan described India as a trusted innovation partner promoting a Global South model rooted in capacity-building, shared knowledge, and collaborative research. He stressed that education remains a durable bridge between societies, especially in times of uncertainty and rapid technological change, calling on diplomats to work closely with India’s access-friendly and multidisciplinary education system.
Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi outlined the achievements of NEP 2020 over the past six years, particularly in advancing multidisciplinary curricula, integrating skilling into mainstream learning, and promoting international engagement. He highlighted that Indian institutions are deepening global collaboration through joint, dual, and twinning programmes, while premier universities expand their international footprint.
Joshi added that the University Grants Commission has introduced a transparent and time-bound regulatory framework to enable foreign universities to establish campuses in India. Applications from leading institutions in Australia, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States are cleared within a month.
The conclave presented concrete avenues for collaboration, including student mobility, joint academic programmes, research partnerships, and the establishment of foreign campuses. The event provided a dedicated platform to strengthen India’s diplomatic engagement in education, inviting students from partner countries to pursue higher education and short-term programmes in India while encouraging institutional and international partnerships.
Officials emphasised that the initiative aims to position India as a global hub for research, innovation, and higher education, fostering long-term knowledge exchange and collaboration across borders.
