Leading British Universities To Set Up Campuses In India, Says Keir Starmer — Check Full List

In a move to strengthen educational ties between India and the United Kingdom, the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that some of the leading British universities will open up campuses in India.

Out of these, five universities have already committed to setting up campuses in the country. The University of Southampton already has an operational campus in Gurugram, which was inaugurated and has enrolled its first batch of students.

• University of Southampton - Gurugram (campus already operational)

• University of Liverpool - Bangalore

• University of York - Mumbai

• University of Aberdeen - Mumbai

• University of Bristol - Mumbai

Other than this, Starmer has confirmed that the University of Lancaster and the University of Surrey have been given approval to open new campuses in India.

The announcement was made during Starmer's first official two-day visit to India and marks a milestone for both India and the United Kingdom.

The leaders spent the trip reviewing the Vision 2035 roadmap, a 10-year plan designed to deepen the India-UK Strategic Partnership. The initiative covers robust cooperation in key areas like trade, defense, climate, and technology, alongside efforts to boost ties in investment, innovation, energy, health, education, and cultural exchange.

According to the vision, the establishment of these universities will offer access to global-standard education to Indian students, encourage collaborative research between Indian and UK institutions.

Currently, four crore students study at UK universities in India, but according to a press release by the government of UK, seven crore places are needed by 2035. 

"I'm delighted that more Indian students will be able to benefit from a world-class British education in the near future - strengthening the ties between our two countries while pumping millions back into our economy and supporting jobs at home", Starmer was quoted as saying in the press release.

Besides this, the United Kingdom has also deepened its defence partnership with India, after signing a £350 million (Rs 4,150 crore) pact to supply lightweight missiles to New Delhi, according to a note from the UK Defence Department.