JGU hosts 3rd India-Japan Higher Education Forum 2026 in Tokyo
Synopsis
With a former Japanese PM, an Indian MP, and presidents of eight top Japanese universities on one stage, JGU's 3rd India-Japan Higher Education Forum in Tokyo was the most high-profile academic gathering between the two nations this year — held days after the Modi-Takaichi summit reaffirmed their Special Strategic Partnership.
Key Takeaways
Jindal Global University (JGU) hosted the 3rd India-Japan Higher Education Forum 2026 in Tokyo on 6 July 2026 .
Former Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio delivered a Special Address invoking the philosophy of Yu-ai and shared India-Japan civilisational values.
Shashi Tharoor , MP and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, delivered the Distinguished Public Lecture.
Presidents and senior leaders from 8 Japanese universities — including the University of Tokyo and Waseda University — participated in the panel discussion.
Nearly 200 JGU students received certificates for completing Short-Term Study Abroad Programmes at Japanese partner universities in Summer 2026 .
The Forum coincided with the India-Japan Summit between PM Narendra Modi and PM Sanae Takaichi , reinforcing the bilateral Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) convened the 3rd India-Japan Higher Education Forum 2026 in Tokyo on 6 July 2026, bringing together former heads of government, diplomats, parliamentarians and senior university leaders from both nations to deliberate on the future of higher education in the age of artificial intelligence. The Forum was held under the theme 'Shaping Universities of the Future in the Era of Human and Artificial Intelligence.'
High-Level Participation
The inaugural session was opened by Professor (Dr) C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor of JGU, and featured a Special Address by H.E. Hatoyama Yukio, Former Prime Minister of Japan. In his address, Hatoyama drew on the philosophy of Yu-ai — fraternity — to articulate a shared civilisational bond between India and Japan rooted in Buddhism, ethical thought and Mahatma Gandhi's principles of Ahimsa and Sarvodaya. 'In this shared inheritance, Japan and India have the opportunity to offer the world a vision of harmony, human dignity and coexistence,' he said.
A Special Address was also delivered by H.E. R. Madhu Sudan, Chargé d'Affaires at the Embassy of India, Tokyo, who conveyed the Mission's support for deeper academic and institutional cooperation. The Keynote Address was delivered by Professor (Dr) Tomohiko Taniguchi, Former Special Advisor to the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who addressed the strategic dimensions of the India-Japan relationship and the role of knowledge and innovation in shaping the Indo-Pacific.
Tharoor's Address and Forum Highlights
A distinguished public lecture was delivered by Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs. Tharoor reflected on the evolving India-Japan relationship and the centrality of higher education and people-to-people engagement in shaping Asia's future amid rapid technological change. He commended JGU's sustained efforts in building academic ties with Japan, noting that such institutional initiative embodies the people-to-people foundations on which lasting bilateral relationships are built.
The session also witnessed the launch of the JGU Sustainability Report 2026 by Professor Padmanabha Ramanujam, Dean, Office of Academic Governance, JGU.
Panel Discussion: Japan's Leading Universities
The Forum's panel discussion brought together presidents and senior leaders from some of Japan's most prominent institutions on a single stage, moderated by Professor (Dr) C. Raj Kumar. Panellists included Professor (Dr) Kaori Hayashi, Executive Vice President of the University of Tokyo; Professor (Dr) Shoichiro Iwakiri, President of International Christian University; Professor (Dr) Noriyuki Takahashi, President of Musashi University; Professor (Dr) Miki Sugimura, President of Sophia University; Professor (Dr) Nobuo Haruna, President of Tokyo University of Foreign Studies; Professor (Dr) Matthew Wilson, President and Dean of Temple University, Japan Campus; Professor (Dr) Masahiko Gemma, Vice President of Waseda University; and Justice Michael D. Wilson, Former Judge of the Supreme Court of Hawaii.
Student Mobility and Study Abroad Recognition
A Certificate Distribution Ceremony honoured nearly 200 JGU students who completed Short-Term Study Abroad Programmes (ST-SAPs) at partner universities across Japan in Summer 2026. Partner institutions included Chuo University, Kyorin University, Musashi University, Temple University Japan Campus, the University of Tokyo and the University of Yamanashi.
What JGU Said
Professor (Dr) C. Raj Kumar said: 'Universities must remain custodians of human values, critical thinking, ethical judgment and public purpose even as they prepare future generations for a rapidly changing world. It is in this union of technological ambition and humanistic purpose that the universities of the future will be shaped, and India and Japan are natural partners in that endeavour.'
Professor (Dr) Akhil Bhardwaj, Executive Dean and Director, Office of International Affairs and Global Initiatives, JGU, described the Forum as part of a larger institutional effort to create meaningful partnerships and deepen student and faculty mobility between Indian and Japanese universities. The Forum took place against the backdrop of the India-Japan Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, which reaffirmed the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership — lending the academic gathering added diplomatic weight. The next phase of JGU's Japan engagement is expected to deepen further as both governments advance cooperation in technology, AI and people-to-people exchanges.
Point of View
A space governments signal intent but universities must operationalise. With nearly 200 students already cycling through Japanese campuses and eight university presidents on one panel, the depth here exceeds most bilateral academic forums. The real question is whether this momentum translates into joint research output and faculty exchange at scale, or remains a high-profile convening exercise. India's university internationalisation record is patchy; JGU is the exception, not the norm — and that gap matters for the partnership's long-term intellectual architecture.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the 3rd India-Japan Higher Education Forum 2026?
It was a bilateral academic summit hosted by O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) in Tokyo on 6 July 2026, under the theme 'Shaping Universities of the Future in the Era of Human and Artificial Intelligence.' The Forum brought together former heads of government, diplomats, parliamentarians and senior university leaders from India and Japan to advance academic cooperation and education diplomacy.
Who were the key speakers at the Forum?
Key speakers included former Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio, Indian MP Shashi Tharoor, Professor (Dr) Tomohiko Taniguchi (former Special Advisor to PM Shinzo Abe's Cabinet), and H.E. R. Madhu Sudan, Chargé d'Affaires at the Embassy of India in Tokyo. JGU's Founding Vice Chancellor Professor (Dr) C. Raj Kumar moderated the panel discussion.
Which Japanese universities participated in the Forum?
Eight leading Japanese institutions were represented: University of Tokyo, International Christian University, Musashi University, Sophia University, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Temple University Japan Campus, Waseda University, and the University of Yamanashi (as a study abroad partner). Their presidents and senior leaders participated in the panel discussion.
How does the Forum connect to the India-Japan government partnership?
The Forum coincided with the India-Japan Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, which reaffirmed the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership. The academic gathering was seen as giving institutional and people-to-people depth to the bilateral relationship at a moment when both governments are advancing cooperation in technology, AI and innovation.
What is JGU's student exchange programme with Japan?
JGU runs Short-Term Study Abroad Programmes (ST-SAPs) at partner universities across Japan. In Summer 2026, nearly 200 JGU students completed these programmes at institutions including Chuo University, Kyorin University, Musashi University, Temple University Japan Campus, the University of Tokyo and the University of Yamanashi. Certificates were distributed at the Forum.
