India could be the answer to global education dreams as US stops new student appointments

For decades, studying abroad—especially in the United States—had been a dream nurtured by lakhs of Indian families. A foreign degree had long symbolised global exposure, lucrative career opportunities and social prestige.

 

But today, this once-clear path is becoming increasingly uncertain–even as Indian universities grow exponentially in quality to rival many of their counterparts overseas.

 

The continuing growth of ‘Made in India’ universities comes at a time when the US government, for instance, has stopped new student appointments as part of a slew of measures including banning the enrolment of international students at Harvard in the 2025-26 academic year and suggestions of capping the percentage of foreign students in US universities. These moves–coming in the backdrop of a more volatile global political climate –have cast a long shadow over the reliability of international education. The recent Trump administration’s decisions in particular are not just a bureaucratic hiccup but signal a deeper and more structural shift in sentiment.

 

Increasingly, international students are being viewed not as contributors but as competitors, believed by some to be limiting access to quality education for American students. Consider the data: In 1960, the US hosted just 50,000 international students. By 2000, the number had surged to 500,000. Today, it exceeds 1 million. Add to this a staggering USD 1.6 trillion in national student debt, and the backlash, once aimed solely at illegal immigration, is now spilling over to legal, fee-paying students. For Indian parents, the message is clear: it is time to pause, reflect, and explore whether world-class opportunities must still come from overseas, or if they are now available at home.

However, as Nobel Laureate, Paul Romer, had said, “Don’t let a crisis go to waste.” Private universities in India are fast developing the capacity to provide globally relevant and competitive education at a fraction of the cost of those in other countries.

 

In conversations with parents, students, and educators, many academic leaders have highlighted the tectonic shift brought about by new technologies in Indian higher education. Today, India stands at a unique inflection point: Equipped not only to provide skill-based, industry-ready education, but also to deliver learning that is globally competitive and culturally rooted. This presents a powerful opportunity—not just to educate India’s youth to become globally competitive, but also to position the country as a vibrant destination for learners from across the world even as the Indian economy can benefit from significantly reduced forex outflows.

 

At the forefront of this transformation are new age Indian-owned universities rooted in Indian soil which are committed to delivering a future-forward, globally benchmarked education. They are moored in a steady Indian policy framework and have the best of both worlds, ensuring world class resources and faculty that bring diverse global perspectives and expertise to the classroom.

 

India can now prepare students from anywhere for a truly global future. Staying in India no longer means settling for less—it means choosing academic excellence grounded in cultural depth.

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 reflects this bold new vision, emphasising innovation, inclusion, and internationalisation on India’s terms. This isn’t isolationism—it is self-assurance. As the West pauses, India must press forward with purpose. It is time to invest in institutions that do not just send students abroad–but attract the world to our shores.