Prime Minister Narendra Modi said IIM Bangalore’s first overseas campus in Indonesia will strengthen academic ties and create new opportunities for students.
The first overseas campus will strengthen India-Indonesia academic ties and serve students across Southeast Asia.
The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM Bangalore) will establish its first international campus in Indonesia, marking a significant milestone in the institute’s global expansion and India’s efforts to strengthen its international higher education presence.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the initiative during a joint press statement with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta on July 7, 2026, following bilateral discussions between the two leaders.
The proposed campus will be located in the Singhasari Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Malang and is expected to serve students, professionals, and business leaders from Indonesia and neighbouring Southeast Asian countries.
Speaking after the talks, Prime Minister Modi said the new campus would benefit young people across the ASEAN region while further deepening educational cooperation between India and Indonesia.
Campus to be developed through a strategic partnership
The international campus will be established through a memorandum of understanding between IIM Bangalore and PT Intelegensia Grahatama, the organisation responsible for developing and managing the Singhasari Special Economic Zone.
The partnership aims to position the campus as a regional centre for management education, executive learning, and leadership development.
The announcement also forms part of a broader agenda discussed by both countries, which included cooperation in artificial intelligence, telecommunications, Digital Public Infrastructure, and start-up ecosystems.
Rollout planned in two phases.
IIM Bangalore has outlined a phased approach for launching its academic programmes in Indonesia.
The first phase will focus on executive education programmes designed for senior executives, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and public sector professionals.
After completing the initial phase over two years, the institute plans to introduce full-fledged degree programmes in management, subject to regulatory approvals and operational readiness.
The curriculum is expected to cover areas such as global supply chains, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, climate and sustainability, and healthcare management, reflecting the evolving needs of businesses and public institutions across the region.
Students to benefit from exposure to India’s innovation ecosystem
Participants enrolled in the Indonesia campus will also have opportunities to visit IIM Bangalore’s Bengaluru campus through short academic immersion programmes.
These visits are intended to expose learners to India’s innovation ecosystem, industry collaborations, entrepreneurial environment, and management practices while strengthening academic engagement between the two campuses.
Leadership sees global opportunities.
IIM Bangalore Director-in-Charge U Dinesh Kumar said the initiative would help develop future business leaders for Indonesian companies as well as multinational organisations operating across the region.
Jitamitra Desai, Professor and Member of IIM Bangalore’s Board of Governors, said the institute’s expertise in management education and research places it in a strong position to deliver internationally recognised programmes in Indonesia.
He added that the initiative could improve employment opportunities for Indonesian citizens and expatriates while strengthening the Global South as a destination for high-quality education and business leadership.
Part of India’s growing international education strategy
The Indonesia campus follows a series of overseas expansion initiatives by leading Indian institutions.
IIM Ahmedabad has established a presence in Dubai, while IIT Delhi has launched a campus in Abu Dhabi and IIT Madras has expanded to Zanzibar. Together, these initiatives reflect India’s broader ambition to increase the global reach of its higher education institutions.
The new campus also aligns with the objectives of the National Education Policy 2020, which encourages internationally recognised Indian institutions to establish overseas campuses and strengthen academic collaboration with partner countries.
With its first international campus in Indonesia, IIM Bangalore is extending its academic footprint beyond India while contributing to stronger educational partnerships across Southeast Asia and reinforcing India’s growing role in global higher education.
