Enhancing India-Japan Relations through Education, Culture, and People-to-People Exchanges

India and Japan have a deep-seated history of cultural exchanges, particularly rooted in their shared heritage of Buddhism. Since the establishment of the Cultural Agreement in 1956, both nations have actively promoted cultural exchange. Initiatives such as scholarships, student exchanges, and programs to promote Japanese language education further strengthen this engagement.

The partnership between India and Japan extends across diverse domains, including education and cultural exchanges, marking significant strides in their collaboration. Here are key highlights of their cooperative efforts.

Academic and Research Partnerships

Cooperation in education spans across 665 academic and research partnerships, involving more than 138 universities and institutes in Japan and around 227 in India. These collaborations encompass fields ranging from liberal arts to management, business studies, legal studies, international studies, linguistics, and STEM disciplines, including frontier technologies.

Establishment of India-Japan Centers

Numerous Indian institutions have established dedicated India-Japan Centers, such as the IIM Bengaluru India-Japan Study Centre and IIM Nagpur Indo-Japan Research Centre. Similarly, Japanese institutions have initiated research centers and labs focusing on India, such as the International Joint Lab at Osaka University and the Indo-Japan Lab at Keio University.

Student Exchanges and Programs

Student exchange programs, particularly short-term initiatives, have facilitated reciprocal visits. Indian students have had opportunities to experience Japanese education and culture, while Japanese students have engaged in various courses in Indian universities, including Hindi language studies.

Buddhist Studies and Cultural Engagement

Japanese universities' departments of Buddhist Studies offer courses on Sanskrit, Pali, Indian Buddhism, and Indian religions and philosophy. Joint initiatives like the Samvad Conference, jointly hosted by India and Japan since 2015, explore the influence of democratic traditions and nonviolence in Asia's future. Recent developments include the ICCR award for promoting Buddhist studies to Otani University and Ministry of Tourism's quiz competition on Buddhist heritage.

Infrastructure and Collaborative Projects

Infrastructure projects like the International Cooperation and Convention Centre Rudraksh in Varanasi, inaugurated with Japanese grant assistance, exemplify bilateral cooperation beyond educational exchanges.

India-Japan Universities Forum

The inaugural Japan-India Universities Forum in January 2023 brought together top universities from both countries, including IITs and leading Japanese universities. Discussions focused on research collaboration, faculty training, and enhancing student exchanges. The second forum in September 2023 launched the India-Japan Edu-Connect initiative to further deepen educational ties.

In summary, India and Japan’s multifaceted relationship encompasses not only strategic cooperation but also a strong emphasis on cultural understanding and educational collaboration