Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on 5 June 2026 presided as chief guest at IIT Madras's Degree Distribution Programme for international students in Chennai, calling on graduates to deploy their technical expertise in addressing the most pressing opportunities and challenges confronting the Global South amid accelerating technological transformation.

What the Ceremony Covered

The programme celebrated the academic achievements of graduates across MTech, MS, PhD, and several joint and international degree courses. Students from multiple countries who completed their studies at one of India's foremost technical institutions were recognised at the event.

Misri congratulated the graduating cohort and underscored the imperative of channelling advanced skills and innovation toward solving systemic challenges in developing nations — a message that aligned closely with India's broader foreign policy emphasis on South-South cooperation.

What the Ministry of External Affairs Said

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted in a post on X on Saturday that Misri 'congratulated the graduating students and exhorted them to deploy the knowledge and skills acquired at IIT Madras to address the opportunities and challenges before humankind and the Global South in an era of technological transformation.'

India as a Global Education Destination

The ceremony also spotlighted India's expanding role as a preferred academic destination for students from developing countries. IIT Madras has been scaling international access through its Office of Global Engagement (OGE), which administers multiple scholarship and support pathways for overseas applicants.

These include the IITM GE Scholarship, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) Scholarship, the Study in India programme, and schemes backed by the African-Asian Rural Development Organisation (AARDO). Fee waivers for meritorious students and targeted outreach have further strengthened the institute's global footprint.

Africa Engagement and the Zanzibar Connection

Programmes linked to IIT Madras Zanzibar — which operates as a separate campus — have also deepened academic ties with students from Africa, contributing to a sustained rise in enrolment from the continent. Overall international student participation at IIT Madras continues to record steady growth, with particularly robust representation from Global South nations.

Wider Significance

The event reflects a deliberate convergence of India's academic diplomacy and foreign policy objectives. By positioning its premier institutions as capacity-building hubs for the developing world, India reinforces its credentials as a leader in South-South cooperation — a theme that has gained prominence under the country's recent G20 presidency and its ongoing engagements with the Global South Voice summits. The next phase of IIT Madras's international expansion, including further outreach to African and Southeast Asian nations, is expected to be outlined in the coming months.