Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Tuesday, July 7 that IIM Bangalore will set up its international campus in Indonesia. Modi said this move will help strengthen ties between India and Indonesia and provide quality management education to students in the ASEAN region.
The Announcement
Modi made the announcement during a press conference with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta. Modi said India will establish an IIM Bangalore campus in Indonesia which will benefit people in the ASEAN region. He described the agreements signed during the visit as a ” chapter” in India-Indonesia relations.
The campus will be located at the Singhasari Special Economic Zone in Malang, East Java. It will mainly serve students and also attract learners from Southeast Asia.
Building on an Existing Agreement
The announcement is based on a Memorandum of Understanding signed between IIM Bangalore and the Singhasari SEZ on July 6. The agreement was formalized in the presence of officials from both countries. The campus will be implemented through an agreement between IIM Bangalore and PT Intelegensia Grahatama, which manages the Singhasari SEZ.
What the Curriculum Will Offer
The Indonesia campus will offer education programs for senior leaders and working professionals. The curriculum will cover management disciplines and emerging areas like intelligence and digital transformation.
Participants will have access to IIM Bangalores courses and interactions with industry leaders and global figures. They will also have opportunities to visit IIM Bangalores home campus in India.
A Two-Phase Rollout
The campus will be rolled out in two phases. The first phase will focus on short-duration executive education programs for executives and business leaders. If successful the second phase will introduce degree-granting management programs. Professor U Dinesh Kumar said the partnership will create a pool of leadership talent that can guide global companies.
Part of a Broader Push to Internationalise Indian Education
The Indonesia campus is IIM Bangalores overseas expansion. It follows expansions by other Indian institutions like IIM Ahmedabad and IIT Delhi. This expansion aligns with Indias strategy to internationalize its education institutions under the National Education Policy 2020.
Part of a Wider Package of Agreements
The IIM Bangalore campus announcement was one of a dozen agreements signed between India and Indonesia during Modis visit. The agreements cover sectors like defence, trade, healthcare and digital connectivity. Modi noted that the two countries will deepen collaboration in emerging technology areas like intelligence and telecommunications.
Strategic Significance for India-Indonesia Ties
The IIM Bangalore campus in Indonesia reflects the growing partnership between the two nations. It positions Indonesia as a hub for management education in the Indo-Pacific region.
For India the move reinforces its ambitions to be a trusted knowledge partner. For Indonesia the partnership will strengthen access, to internationally recognized management education and human capital development.
What Comes Next
With the MoU in place attention will turn to the practical rollout of the campuss executive education offerings. Both IIM Bangalore and Indonesian authorities will monitor the success of the phase.
