KUALA LUMPUR - The Indian government has set a target to raise the annual intake of foreign students in higher education institutions to 200,000 by 2030, officials from the Education Ministry said.

The move reflects New Delhi’s efforts to position India as a more attractive destination for international students, as reported by The Economic Times.

At present, around 50,000 foreign students enrol in Indian institutions each year.

An official said the government has intensified outreach under the “Study in India” initiative and is working closely with universities and state authorities.

“By 2030, we want to bring 200,000 international students to India annually, and right now about 50,000 students come each year, so we are making concerted efforts over the past six to seven months to accelerate this,” the official said.

The official said discussions are ongoing with central and state universities, including Delhi University, to expand capacity and improve infrastructure.

“Hostel facilities and student support systems must be robust, and we have discussed this with states because these students will join state universities as well,” the official said.

Foreign universities establishing campuses in India will also be allowed to admit international students.

The Study in India team is preparing to engage stakeholders in multiple countries as part of its overseas outreach strategy.

The issue was discussed at the Chief Secretaries’ Conference in January, with states expected to play a key role in implementation.

In December, the government informed the Rajya Sabha that India currently hosts 72,218 foreign students from nearly 200 countries.

Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar said the Centre is taking steps to deepen engagement with foreign universities and students.