In a major push to strengthen India-UK educational collaboration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer today announced that nine British universities will establish campuses in India. The announcement was made at the CEO Summit in Mumbai, with the University of Southampton already operational in Gurugram, welcoming its first batch of students.
The expansion aligns with India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aims to offer Indian students access to world-class UK education without leaving the country. The campuses will also foster joint research initiatives and partnerships between academia and industry, driving innovation and skill development across key sectors.
New era for Indian students
Prime Minister Modi said, “The largest and most influential delegation from the education sector has accompanied Prime Minister Starmer. It is a matter of great joy that nine UK universities are now opening campuses in India.”
The University of Bristol will launch its Enterprise Campus in Mumbai in 2026, while the University of Surrey will open a campus in Gujarat’s GIFT City in 2026-27, initially offering programmes in artificial intelligence, finance, and cybersecurity. Lancaster University plans to set up a campus in Bengaluru, promoting collaboration with Indian businesses and local universities.
UK Prime Minister Starmer highlighted the global appeal of British universities, stating that the expansion would “strengthen ties between our two countries while pumping millions back into our economy and supporting jobs at home.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson described the move as “a marker of our ambition” under the UK’s International Education Strategy, building long-term partnerships to deliver growth, innovation, and opportunities for both nations.
Driving innovation
University leaders emphasised the transformative potential of the initiative. Professor Andrew Atherton of Southampton University called it a “flagship initiative” strengthening UK-India links, while Professor Stephen Jarvis of Surrey described the new campuses as a “powerful skills and research accelerator.” Professor Simon Guy of Lancaster said the Bengaluru campus would help “spark growth, generate opportunity, and empower students to make a difference in India and globally.”
The nine-campus initiative is expected to deepen bilateral ties, enhance research collaboration in areas such as AI, biotechnology, and cyber security, and position India as a hub for global higher education partnerships. Nine leading UK universities, including Southampton, Bristol, Surrey, Lancaster, and York, are expanding their footprint in India by setting up branch campuses.
The announcement was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the CEO Summit in Mumbai. The initiative will allow Indian students to earn UK degrees locally while fostering research collaboration and partnerships between academia and industry. The campuses will initially focus on emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, finance, and biotechnology. This move aligns with India’s National Education Policy 2020 and strengthens long-term India-UK educational and economic ties.
By enabling Indian students to access UK-quality education at home, the UK enhances its global influence and soft power without adding pressure to domestic migration figures.
British Council research shows that students who experience UK education retain positive views of the UK for decades.