Modi Urges Top German Universities to Open Campuses in India to Boost Global Education Links

By Aahana January 12, 2026
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a significant appeal to leading German universities to establish campuses in India, aiming to broaden the country’s higher education landscape and strengthen international academic partnerships. The invitation came during a high-level bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Ahmedabad, as part of a comprehensive strategy to deepen Indo-German cooperation in education and skills development.

The discussions centred on an Indo-German Comprehensive Roadmap on Higher Education, which lays out plans to expand collaboration in research, teaching and student mobility between the two nations. Under this roadmap, Modi urged top German institutions to consider setting up physical campuses in India under the framework of the National Education Policy, signalling India’s intent to attract some of the world’s most respected centres of learning.

Both leaders highlighted the rising number of Indian students choosing to study in Germany, as well as the growth of joint and dual degree programmes, collaborative research initiatives, and institutional partnerships, especially between Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and German technical universities. These initiatives were described as essential to driving innovation, research excellence, and advanced skills development.

In addition to academic collaboration, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to expanding German language education across India, including in schools, universities and vocational training centres, as a means of enhancing employability and cultural exchange.

A noteworthy outcome of the meeting was Germany’s announcement of a visa-free transit facility for Indian passport holders, aimed at easing travel for students, researchers and professionals — another step intended to foster stronger people-to-people ties.

The leaders also welcomed a Joint Declaration of Intent on a Global Skills Partnership to support ethical and sustainable skilled mobility, particularly addressing workforce needs in sectors such as healthcare.

By inviting German universities to open campuses in India, Prime Minister Modi has underscored the government’s commitment to internationalising Indian higher education and enhancing opportunities for students and researchers. The move, backed by strengthened travel and skills agreements, could pave the way for a new era of global academic cooperation between the two countries.

Source: NDTV EDUCATION

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