Nalanda University broadens academic focus to AI and mathematics, strengthens Southeast Asia links

Nalanda University is broadening its academic profile beyond its traditional emphasis on Buddhist studies, philosophy and heritage to include contemporary disciplines such as artificial intelligence (AI), mathematics and interdisciplinary research, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The university, located in Rajgir, Bihar, is also seeking to strengthen its academic engagement with Southeast Asian countries through research, policy dialogue and institutional partnerships. The MEA highlighted this role ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Manila for the ASEAN-India and East Asia Summits.

MEA Secretary (East) Rudrendra Tandon said the revived university was developing as a centre for both heritage-based learning and modern academic disciplines. Its international character and historical connections with countries across Asia, he noted, offered opportunities to build contemporary academic and technological partnerships in the region.

Established through an Act of Parliament under the aegis of the MEA, the modern Nalanda University was set up following an initiative endorsed at the East Asia Summit. The institution draws on the legacy of the ancient Nalanda Mahavihara, which was a major centre of learning with connections across Asia.

The university's international partnerships are an important part of its present-day identity. According to the MEA, 17 participating countries, including members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), have signed memoranda of understanding supporting the institution's development.

Centre for Southeast Asian Studies to deepen regional collaboration

A key part of this engagement is the university's Centre for Southeast Asian Studies, which was inaugurated in April 2026 by the MEA. The centre is intended to provide a platform for academic research, policy engagement and collaboration between India and countries in Southeast Asia.

Its work is organised around ten interdisciplinary research clusters covering areas such as climate studies, maritime affairs, trade, heritage, public health, migration, digital cooperation and international relations. The range of subjects reflects an approach that connects regional studies with contemporary economic, environmental, technological and policy questions.

The centre is expected to serve as a knowledge partner to the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Plan of Action for 2026–2030. Through research and academic exchanges, it is intended to support cooperation between institutions and contribute to a deeper understanding of developments across the region.

Connecting historical links with contemporary research

Nalanda University's renewed international role builds on its historical association with the movement of scholars and ideas across Asia. Its present-day mandate seeks to carry forward that tradition through academic partnerships while addressing subjects relevant to contemporary regional cooperation.

The university's combination of heritage studies and newer academic disciplines also places it within India's wider efforts to strengthen educational and cultural links with Southeast Asia. Its Centre for Southeast Asian Studies provides an institutional channel for this engagement, bringing together research areas that extend beyond history and culture to include public health, climate, trade and digital cooperation.

The MEA's latest remarks highlight the university's evolving academic role as India looks to deepen its engagement with ASEAN countries through education, research and policy collaboration.