JICA Invests in the capacity development of India’s Future Leaders

Delhi, July 30, 2024: In a significant step to bolster India-Japan people-to-people exchanges, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a Grant Agreement with the Government of India for “The Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS)”. This initiative will provide full scholarships to 36 talented Indian government officials over four years, enabling them to pursue two-year master’s degrees at leading Japanese universities. The Grant Agreement will admit 9 officials per batch, with the initial grant of approximately INR 12 crores (JPY 223 million) covering the first cohort.

The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, and the Hon’ble Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. KISHIDA Fumio have emphasized the importance of enhancing people-to-people exchanges between the two nations. One key aspect of this effort is increasing the number of Indian students studying in Japan. In line with this shared vision, JICA has launched this new scholarship project to promote such exchanges and strengthen bilateral relations. The program aims to provide Indian government officials with valuable capacity development opportunities through study at Japanese universities. By investing in the education and cross-cultural experiences of future leaders, both countries seek to foster deeper understanding, cooperation, and enduring ties between India and Japan.

The program will select nine officers annually for the next four years specializing in important areas relevant to Indian policymakers. Upon their return to India, they will be well-positioned to drive policy reforms and implement key development projects, contributing significantly to India’s growth and prosperity, including joint projects with Japan.

The application process for selecting the first batch of JDS scholars will commence in mid-2024, in collaboration between the governments of India and Japan. The first admissions will begin in mid-2025. Renowned Japanese universities participating in the program include:

• Graduate School of Public Policy, The University of Tokyo
• Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
• Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies, Waseda University
• Graduate School of International and Public Policy, Hitotsubashi University
• Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies, Kobe University

Commenting on the program, Mr. SAITO Mitsunori, Chief Representative, JICA India, said, “As envisioned by the Hon’ble Prime Ministers of India and Japan, enhancing people-to-people exchanges is a key step to further deepening the ties between our nations. JICA is delighted to contribute to this important mission by extending study opportunities in Japan to Indian government officials, leading India towards Viksit Bharat. I urge ambitious and talented government officials to apply for this program and prepare themselves to lead India into the future.”

The Grant Agreement was signed between Ms. Manisha Sinha, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India, and Mr. TAKAHASHI Akito, Senior Representative, JICA India.

This collaboration marks another chapter in India-Japan cooperation, emphasizing human capital development as a cornerstone of bilateral relations.