IIM Bangalore to open first campus in Indonesia under India-Indonesia pact

India and Indonesia have agreed to establish a campus of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore in Indonesia as part of a broader push to deepen cooperation in education, technology, and innovation.

The announcement was made on July 7 after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto during Modi's official visit to Indonesia, the first stop of his three-nation tour that will also include Australia and New Zealand.

Announcing the initiative, Modi said the proposed campus will cater not only to students in Indonesia but also to learners across the ASEAN region.

“We are going to establish a campus of India’s prestigious management institute, IIM Bangalore, in Indonesia; this will greatly benefit the youth across the entire ASEAN region,” Modi said.

Along with the education initiative, the two countries signed agreements to strengthen collaboration in artificial intelligence (AI), telecommunications, digital public infrastructure, and startups.

Modi said India and Indonesia would work together to encourage technology partnerships among young people.

The leaders also agreed to expand cooperation in the space sector through joint research, technology sharing, and capacity building. Modi said both countries would continue to strengthen their long-standing partnership in space.

The proposed IIM Bangalore campus marks another step in India's efforts to expand the global presence of its higher education institutions.

Earlier, the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad became the first IIM to establish an overseas campus after announcing its Dubai expansion during its 60th convocation.

The institute signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dubai authorities as part of India's broader strategy to internationalize higher education.

The IIM Ahmedabad Dubai campus was formally inaugurated on Sept 11 at Dubai International Academic City by Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

It currently offers a one-year full-time MBA program for experienced professionals and remains the first full-fledged international campus established by an Indian Institute of Management.