Good News For Indian Students! 9 UK Universities To Open Campuses Across Several Indian Cities, Including Mumbai Says PM Modi

In a major boost to India-UK educational ties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that nine universities from the United Kingdom will soon open campuses in India. The announcement was made during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit, which Modi said signals a renewed momentum in bilateral relations following their recent Free Trade Agreement.

Highlighting the progress so far, PM Modi shared that the Gurugram campus of the University of Southampton has already opened its doors, and the first batch of students has enrolled. “It is a matter of great joy that nine UK universities are now going to establish campuses in India,” Modi said, calling the delegation accompanying PM Starmer the largest and most influential from the education sector so far.

List of UK Universities Opening Campuses in India:

University of Southampton – Gurugram (already operational)

University of Liverpool – Bangalore

University of York – Mumbai

University of Aberdeen – Mumbai

University of Bristol – Mumbai

Prime Minister Modi also revealed that three more campuses are being readied in Gujarat’s GIFT City, further expanding the UK’s academic footprint in India’s rapidly growing education hub.

PM Starmer confirmed that the University of Lancaster and the University of Surrey have been granted approval to open new campuses in India. “The demand for the best quality higher education is very high,” Starmer said. “I am really pleased to announce that more British universities will be setting up campuses in India, making Britain India’s leading international provider of higher education and delivering on our Vision 2035.”

Currently, India has around 40 million students in universities, but the need is projected to rise to 70 million by 2035. British universities are stepping in to help bridge this gap, offering Indian students the opportunity to pursue UK degrees without leaving the country.

“The UK’s world-renowned higher education sector is capitalising on that demand,” Starmer added. This will enable thousands of Indian students to access top-notch British education as well as create jobs and spur our economy at home.

The step falls in line with the larger objectives of the UK–India Free Trade Agreement to enhance educational and economic relations between the two countries. By enabling UK universities to have campuses in India, both countries are creating the groundwork for a long-term collaboration that will help students, institutions, and economies.

(Inputs from IANS)

Published on: Thursday, October 09, 2025, 12:47 PM IST