A new NITI Aayog-led government report sets out an ambitious roadmap to transform India from a country that sends millions of students abroad into a global education destination hosting nearly 11 lakh international learners by 2047 — a milestone aligned with the nation’s broader development vision. India already boasts one of the world’s largest higher education systems and a youthful population, giving it scale and demographic advantage. Yet the report warns that current inbound numbers are small compared with outbound figures, where Indian students abroad far outnumber those coming in, highlighting a persistent imbalance.

The vision is not without hurdles. Weak research infrastructure, limited global exposure on many campuses, outdated curricula, and fragmented industry-academia links are cited as core structural issues that must be addressed for India to appeal to global students at scale. The report emphasises policy stability, globally aligned curricula, joint degrees, and strong research ecosystems as key enablers to make Indian institutions competitive and attractive internationally.

If reforms take hold, inbound enrolments could rise significantly by 2030 and beyond; otherwise, the long-standing trend of Indians studying abroad at much higher rates may continue, underscoring the need for strategic, sustained efforts to rebalance educational exchange and strengthen India’s global academic presence.