India’s leading academic institutions continue to reassess their global partnerships in light of national interests.
The latest university to take such action is IIT Roorkee, which has formally terminated its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Inonu University in Turkey.
This decision aligns with similar moves by Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, and Kanpur University, all of which recently suspended their academic collaborations with Turkish institutions due to security concerns and national priorities.
The cancelled agreements previously facilitated research collaborations, faculty exchanges, and student mobility between the institutions. However, IIT Roorkee stated that future international collaborations must be in alignment with India’s academic and security strategies.
Additionally, Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab has also scrapped its agreements with institutions in Turkiye and Azerbaijan, citing geopolitical developments that are not in India’s best interests.
While international partnerships have traditionally been crucial for academic growth, institutions are now placing greater emphasis on ensuring collaborations reflect India’s national priorities.