India offers 1,000 PhD fellowships to ASEAN students at IITs

New Delhi: The government today launched a major programme offering 1,000 PhD fellowships to ASEAN students at IITs in India.

Jointly inaugurating the programme with HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ in New Delhi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India’s partnership with ASEAN is based on shared values.

He said the country’s partnership with South-East Asian nations has developed historically through a shared quest for knowledge.

He said it is only natural that knowledge remains the fundamental driver of people to people ties.

Our correspondent reports that those selected can complete their PhD with Government of India funding at par with Indian counterparts.

The funding will cover the entire cost of study and living expenses for up to 5 years of a PhD programme. The admission portal for the programme is being executed by IIT Delhi.

In January last year at the 25th anniversary commemorative ASEAN-India Summit in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced 1000 fellowships for ASEAN citizens to pursue PhD programmes at an IIT of their choice.