US universities convened with Indian institutions, trade bodies and US government interests in DC last month to discuss building education and research ties with India.

Controversy and frustration surrounds Australian and Irish universities' decision to pay Indian GST, while other destinations continue to hold out.

UKCISA president Lord Bilimoria has said he will use the first opportunity he gets to question the UK government on why India has been excluded from a streamlined student visa application process. 

The UK has expanded the list of nations from which student visa applicants will have to provide a "reduced level of documentation", but Indian misses out, angering stakeholders and officials.

India is promising fee waivers to foreign students choosing India as their study destination as it rolls out the Study in India campaign.

The Indian government has approved a budget of about $23m for the new Study in India initiative, in a bid to brand the country as a study destination and attempt to redress the balance between inbound and outbound students.

Indian universities are aiming to attract more students from Africa with the promise of affordable fees and standards comparable to those in Europe and the US.

India and France have signed a MoU for mutual recognition of academic qualifications between the two countries, paving the way for a stronger education exchange.