India remains the largest global recipient of the highly prized Erasmus Mundus Scholarships with 101 Indian scholars chosen in 2025 to pursue a two-year master’s program in 19 European Union (EU) nations. EU Ambassador Hervé Delphin in a pre-departure ceremony in New Delhi organized by the Delegation of the European Union to India portrayed the Erasmus+ program as “more than a scholarship,” a “passport for personal and professional development and a window of opportunities in and with Europe.”.

Marking the milestone, Ambassador Delphin underlined the ongoing consolidation of EU-India higher education ties, with over 6,000 Indian students and scholars benefiting from the Erasmus+ scheme since it came into operation. “These students are opting for Europe because of the quality, diversity, and value that it offers. This is testimony to how Europe is now a leading destination for global higher education,” he further added. Delphin underlined that Erasmus+ students are not only students but change ambassadors, who would be enriched and become bridges between the EU and India.

India stands among the global top three nations in 2025 based on scholarship recipients and is the biggest cumulative recipient since 2014. Erasmus+ scholarships are highly preferred due to their ability to cater for tuition fees, traveling, and living expenses, enabling students to study at several European universities. Students normally acquire combined, double, or several degrees from not less than two European universities. In this way, the programme not only supports academic aspirations but also fosters intercultural understanding and collaboration.

At the ceremony, other dignitaries from EU member states echoed similar sentiments. Evagoras Vryonides, the High Commissioner of Cyprus, emphasized the growing bilateral cooperation between India and Cyprus. He mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulid has led to the planning of a long-term roadmap for strengthening ties. Vryonides also emphasized the importance of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), whom he called a game-changer initiative that will definitely promote economic integration and create employment prospects for the regions.

Speaking for Denmark, Emil Stovring Lauritsen, Charge d’Affaires and Counsellor, asked the incoming students to make an optimum use of the Erasmus+ experience to gain broader understanding of the globalized world. He reported that universities in Denmark are proactively addressing sustainability, equity, and climate action, and he hoped Indian students in Denmark would impress the other students to have a better understanding of India’s diversity and energy.

Similarly, Marek Kijeswski, Counsellor, Political Department, Poland, observed that although a mere four Indian students would be studying in Poland on the Erasmus+ scholarship, the experience remains life-changing. He underlined that the students would be exposed to new languages and cultures, along with skills in organization that are crucial to a globalized world of work.

Speaking on behalf of the Government of India, Armstrong Pame, Joint Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, congratulated the students and assured them that they will represent India. “The students not only need to excel academically but also represent themselves as representatives of India’s vision of the world,” he added. He also called upon researchers to think about undertaking doctoral and post-doctoral studies so that international research excellence could be set up in India. Pame highlighted the government’s SPARC initiative, which provides a maximum of ₹12 crore of funding for research along with foreign universities, as a canopy to develop long-term research collaboration.

Out of the 2025 batch, the student spread across Europe is indicative of the diversity of scholarly opportunities available. France will host the largest number of Indian students (24), while Spain (12) ranks second, followed by Belgium and Portugal (8 each), Germany (7), and Italy (5). Countries from the other lists to host students are Poland and the Czech Republic (4 each), Austria, Hungary, and Estonia (3 each), Netherlands and Croatia (2 each), and one student each for Denmark, Finland, Norway, Ireland, and Latvia. Furthermore, a number of students will learn at partner institutions in non-EU countries under the Erasmus+.

More than 2,200 Indian students have received the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship since 2004. In total, more than 6,000 short- and long-term Erasmus+ scholarships have been awarded to Indian students, making the country a yearly leader in the programme’s global outreach. One of the most intriguing trends in recent years has been the steady increase in female enrollment, with effectively parity gender balance now a standard characteristic of the selected cohorts.

The Erasmus+ scholarship continues to be a prime promoter of internationalization of India’s pool of human resources, international cooperation, as well as the creation of cultural and educational bridges between Europe and India. With this new set of scholars coming in September, their experiences are not only destined to change their individual lives but also cement the emerging partnership between the EU and India.