Russia keen to explore new avenues in education cooperation with India: Envoy

29/05/2026

New Delhi, May 28: Russia is "very eager" to explore new avenues in education cooperation with India and to expand the existing framework, the country's envoy Denis Alipov said here on Thursday. In his address at the second Russia-India education summit, he said "our cooperation must extend beyond universities".
"It should reach schools, language and culture programmes, the aspirations of young people, and the industries and professions that will shape the future of our nations," the Russian ambassador said.
Important steps have already been taken as Russian universities are engaging directly with Indian schools through Olympiads, online courses, student exchanges and educational initiatives that help talented young people discover opportunities in Russia from an early stage, the envoy said.
"I would also like to stress that to fully unlock the immense potential of education cooperation between our countries, we must continue making progress towards the mutual recognition of educational qualifications. A bilateral agreement in this area is essential," he added.
Alipov emphasised that the education summit reflected the growing strength of educational ties between the two countries. Russia hosts around 300,000 international students, including nearly 40,000 from India.
"We are committed to increasing the number of international students in Russia to 500,000, half a million by 2030. It is encouraging to witness the steady expansion of academic exchanges and joint research initiatives between our countries," he added. Alipov said education remained one of the "strongest bridges" nations could build.
"It nurtures talent, strengthens trust, and inspires innovation. Above all, it brings people closer together and raises the foundation for lasting friendship between nations.
"Tomorrow, we will host an education fair bringing together Russian and Indian universities, students, researchers, and young professionals. I invite you to explore academic programmes, internships, research opportunities and future career pathways.
"I'm confident that this summit today and the fair tomorrow will open new horizons for cooperation and lay the foundations for enduring partnerships for many years to come," the envoy said.
Later, interacting with reporters on the sidelines of the event, he said both countries had a longstanding tradition and history of cooperation and ties in the education sector.
"So in the current circumstances, at the current stage, we are very eager to explore new avenues in education cooperation with India, to expand on this strength.
"And we have started this process. The number of Indian students studying in Russia has increased. Russian universities are coming to India to explore opportunities that have opened here in this country," he said.
There are many domains in which "we can go forward together, so that education becomes an even stronger pillar of the overall strategic partnership between our countries," the envoy said.
"But we want to be in the front row of this cooperation. And there is every opportunity for us to do so. There's so much to gain from each other," he said.

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