JICA Invests in Capacity Development of India’s Future Leaders
Chennai: The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has signed a Grant Agreement with the Government of India for “The Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS)”. The agreement will enable nine Indian officials to pursue two-year master’s degrees at leading Japanese universities, with a grant of approximately INR 17 crores (JPY 288 million).
The program aims to bolster India-Japan people-to-people exchanges and provide Indian government officials with valuable capacity development opportunities. Nine officers will be selected annually for four years, specializing in important areas relevant to Indian policymakers. After their return to India, the scholars will be well-positioned to drive policy reforms and implement key development projects, contributing significantly to India’s growth and prosperity.
According to TAKEUCHI Takuro, Chief Representative of JICA India, “As envisioned by the Hon’ble Prime Ministers of India and Japan, enhancing people-to-people exchanges is a key step to further deepening the ties between our nations. JICA is delighted to contribute to this important mission by extending study opportunities in Japan to Indian government officials, leading India towards Viksit Bharat.”
The application process for selecting the second batch of JDS scholars is expected to commence in mid-2025, and their admissions will begin in mid-2026. The Grant Agreement was signed between Manisha Sinha, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India, and TAKEUCHI Takuro, Chief Representative, JICA India. This program will foster deeper understanding, cooperation, and enduring ties between India and Japan by investing in the education and cross-cultural experiences of future leaders.
