In a landmark step for Indian education, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defense, inaugurated the first-ever overseas campus of the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) in Dubai on September 11.

The event was also attended by Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and H E Dr. Abdulrahman Abdulmannan Al Awar, Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, UAE.

Speaking at the ceremony, Pradhan described the inauguration as a “great honor” and a decisive leap towards the globalisation of India’s education, in line with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision.

“The IIM Ahmedabad Dubai campus will take the best of India to the world,” he said, adding that Dubai offers the perfect platform to embody the ethos of being “Indian in spirit, global in outlook.”

The ceremony saw the presence of senior Indian and UAE officials, including Shri Sunjay Sudhir, Ambassador of India to the UAE; Shri Pankaj Patel, Chairman of IIMA’s Board of Governors; Professor Bharat Bhaskar, Director of IIMA; and UAE dignitaries such as H.E. Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, H.E. Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri, and H.E. Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi.

During his visit, Shri Pradhan held high-level talks with H.E. Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar on deepening bilateral cooperation in higher education, research, and innovation, underscoring the shared commitment to people-to-people connectivity and joint academic ventures.

Discussions also focused on advancing joint research in emerging sectors, capacity building, and fostering cultural and academic exchanges between India and the UAE.

Shri Pradhan also visited the Manipal University campus in Dubai and engaged in a roundtable with leaders from top Indian higher education institutions, including Symbiosis, BITS Pilani, MIT, and Amity.

He emphasized the need to shift India’s research ecosystem from mere publication to productisation and global market relevance, aiming to strengthen India’s educational and innovation brand worldwide.

In a gesture symbolizing enduring India-UAE friendship, Shri Pradhan planted a Ghaf tree—the UAE’s national tree—at the Indian Consulate in Dubai under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0” initiative, launched by Prime Minister Modi. The sapling is set to stand as a living testament to the cultural and educational ties between the two nations.

The launch of IIM Ahmedabad’s Dubai campus, coupled with initiatives like 12 new Atal Tinkering Labs in GCC CBSE schools, marks a historic moment in India’s global educational outreach, reaffirming the two countries’ commitment to shaping the next generation of global leaders through collaboration, innovation, and knowledge exchange.