IIT Bombay To Open Its First-Ever Overseas Sub-Campus in the US With SUNY

In a landmark step towards strengthening the India-US strategic partnership in higher education, IIT Bombay and the State University of New York (SUNY) Old Westbury have signed a Letter of Intent to collaborate on engineering education, scientific research and emerging technologies. The agreement, signed by IIT Bombay Director Prof. Shireesh Kedare and SUNY Old Westbury President Dr. Timothy E. Sams in the presence of Consul General of India in New York Binaya Pradhan , is expected to pave the way for IIT Bombay's first-ever overseas academic sub-campus in the United States.

The collaboration will establish new undergraduate, postgraduate and research programmes on SUNY Old Westbury's Long Island campus, with an initial focus on artificial intelligence , engineering and other future technologies. Early cooperation will include faculty and researcher exchanges, joint research projects, conferences and symposia while new degree programmes are developed. According to reports, certificate courses in AI, sustainability and clean technology are expected to begin in 2027, followed by phased introduction of degree programmes. IIT Bombay faculty are also expected to contribute to curriculum development and teaching at the US campus.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan , who attended the announcement virtually along with Higher Education Secretary Dr. Vineet Joshi and India's Ambassador to the US Vinay Mohan Kwatra , welcomed the initiative, describing it as a significant milestone in advancing India-US cooperation in engineering, multidisciplinary research, technology and other emerging fields. Referring to the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 , Pradhan said internationalisation of Indian higher education is a key national priority and that meaningful partnerships between premier Indian institutions and leading global universities are essential to achieving this goal. He said the collaboration would enrich India's research culture, open new opportunities for students, scholars and learners, build enduring knowledge bridges to address global challenges, and carry India's intellectual strengths to the world. He also described the partnership as creating "win-win opportunities" for students and researchers while helping nurture future-ready talent and cutting-edge innovation.

Prof. Kedare said IIT Bombay's complementary strengths with SUNY Old Westbury could help the partnership "scale great heights." Dr. Sams described IIT Bombay as a world-class institution and said the collaboration aims to establish a robust IIT Bombay presence on the Long Island campus while preparing the next generation of leaders in physics, engineering and innovation. Ambassador Kwatra underscored the importance of expanding bilateral academic and technological cooperation, while Joshi called the initiative a "new and proud" and one of the most consequential chapters in the India-US partnership in higher education and research. The collaboration is the latest in a series of initiatives deepening educational and research ties between India and the United States.