Prime Minister Modi invites American universities to open campus in India

Washington: India and the US have agreed to strengthen collaborations between their higher education institutions, facilitate study abroad and explore opportunities for setting up campuses of premier American colleges in India.

PM Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump during their wide-ranging talks at the White House on Thursday also recognised that the talent flow and movement of students, researchers and employees, has mutually benefitted both countries.

According to the latest Open Doors Report, the number of Indian students studying in the US in the academic year 2023-24 is at 3,31,602, a rise of 23 per cent from 2022-23 when the number stood at 2,68,923.

“President Trump and Prime Minister Modi noted that over 300,000-strong Indian student community contributes over $8 billion annually to the US economy and helped create a number of direct and indirect jobs,” the joint statement said.

“Recognising the importance of international academic collaborations in fostering innovation, improving learning outcomes and development of a future-ready workforce, both leaders resolved to strengthen collaborations between the higher education institutions through efforts such as joint and dual degree and twinning programmes,” it added.