Prime Minister Narendra Modi invites U.S. universities to open campus in India

India and the U.S. strengthen higher education collaborations, increase study abroad opportunities, and explore premier American college campuses in India.

India and the U.S. 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.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump during their wide-ranging talks at the White House on Thursday (February 13, 2025) 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 U.S. in the academic year 2023-24 is at 3,31,602, a rise of 23% from 2022-23 when the number stood at 2,68,923.

"President Trump and Prime Minister Modi noted the importance of advancing the people-to-people ties between the two countries. In this context, they noted that the more than 300,000-strong Indian student community contributes over USD 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.

"Establishing joint Centres of Excellence, and setting up of offshore campuses of premier educational institutions of the US in India," the statement said.

During the joint press conference, Mr. Modi also said," The Indian community in America is an important link in our relationship. To deepen our people-to-people ties, we will soon open new Indian consulates in Los Angeles and Boston." He also said, "We have invited American universities and educational institutions to open offshore campuses in India." International student enrollment in the United States in 2023 showed a substantial increase from the calendar year 2022.