Internationalisation of Higher Education in India: NITI Aayog Policy Report & Strategic Roadmap

In December 2025, NITI Aayog released a landmark policy report titled Internationalisation of Higher Education in India: Prospects, Potential, and Policy Recommendations, aiming to transform India’s higher education system into a global education destination and research hub. This initiative is aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and coincides with broader regulatory reforms under the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, which seeks to streamline and modernise the higher education framework in India.

Background & Rationale

Punjab-Global Mobility Imbalance

Despite significant global growth in student mobility, India faces a stark imbalance between outbound and inbound student movement. In 2024, approximately 28 Indian students went abroad for every one international student studying in India, a ratio that highlights the urgent need for policy action.

Economic & Strategic Imperatives

Recent data reveal that Indian students’ overseas education expenditure is projected at ₹6.2 lakh crore by 2025, a sum roughly equivalent to 2% of India’s GDP and nearly 75% of the trade deficit for FY 2024–25.

Such capital outflows underscore the need for strategic reforms, not only to reduce brain drain and retain talent domestically but also to utilise education as a tool for soft power, knowledge diplomacy, and economic sustainability.

Key Findings from the Policy Report

1. Low International Student Presence

Despite a 518% increase since 2001, India hosted only about 47,000 international students as of 2022, a number considered low relative to its demographic and academic potential. Forecasts in the report suggest that with effective policies, international student numbers in India could reach between 7.89 lakh and 11 lakh by 2047.

2. Outbound Student Concentration

Current outbound student flows show 8.5 lakh out of 13.5 lakh students studying abroad heading to high-income nations like the USA, UK, and Australia, reflecting both pull and push factors.

3. Institutional Capacity Gaps

Major barriers cited by Indian institutions include:

• Limited scholarships and financial aid for international students (41% cited this as a concern).
• Perceptions about the quality of Indian education (30% noted this).
• Inadequate international infrastructure, global programme offerings, and support structures for international students.

Strategic Policy Recommendations

The report proposes 22 policy recommendations, 76 action pathways, and 125 performance indicators across finance, regulation, strategy, branding, curriculum, and outreach.

1. Strategic & Financial Measures

• Bharat Vidya Kosh: A proposed national research sovereign wealth fund with a suggested $10 billion corpus, part-funded by diaspora and philanthropy.
• Vishwa Bandhu Scholarship & Fellowship: Designed to attract international students and research talent.
• Bharat ki AAN (Alumni Ambassador Network): To mobilise the global Indian diaspora as educational ambassadors.

2. Mobility and Partnerships

Erasmus+-like Programme: A multilateral academic mobility framework tailored for groupings such as ASEAN, BRICS, BIMSTEC, potentially named the “Tagore framework”. Campus-Within-Campus & International Campuses: Encouraging foreign universities to set up campuses in India and vice-versa.

3. Regulatory Reforms

• Simplified entry–exit norms and fast-tracked visas for foreign students and faculty.
• Single-window clearance for administrative needs like bank accounts and tax IDs.
• Competitive salaries and incentives to attract global faculty.

4. Branding and Rankings

• Enhancement of NIRF parameters to include global outreach and international collaboration metrics.
• Strategic communication campaigns to combat perceptions of quality concerns.

5. Curriculum and Culture

Encouraging globally relevant curricula, cross-cultural academic environments, and strong research collaborations.

Methodology of the Study

• The NITI Aayog report is based on:
• An online survey of 160 Indian institutions.
• Key informant interviews across 16 countries.
• A national workshop at IIT Madras.
• Discussions at a Transnational Education Roundtable in the UK.

Regulatory Landscape: Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill

The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025 proposes to replace UGC, AICTE, and NCTE with a unified body to oversee higher education, aligning with NEP 2020 objectives. The new architecture includes three councils focused on regulation, accreditation, and standards.

This reform is intended to create a streamlined, transparent, and globally competitive regulatory ecosystem, which could facilitate internationalisation goals by simplifying approvals and enhancing institutional quality.

Challenges & the Way Forward

Persistent Quality Perception Gap

Despite strong domestic talent and educational infrastructure, global perceptions of quality and brand visibility need improvement. Leveraging soft power, diaspora networks, and India’s cultural strengths can bridge this gap.

Fragmented Regulation

A unified regulatory mechanism under the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill is hoped to enhance policy coherence and remove administrative bottlenecks.

Internationalisation Culture

Embedding an institution-wide internationalisation strategy — beyond mobility programmes — requires long-term strategic prioritisation by institutions and policymakers alike.