JICA invests in the capacity development of India’s future leaders

Delhi, 07 July 2025

With the aim to bolster India-Japan people-to-people exchanges , the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a Grant Agreement with the Government of India for “The Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS)”. The Grant Agreement will enable nine Indian officials to pursue two-year master’s degrees at leading Japanese universities, with the grant of approximately INR 17 crores (JPY 288 million). The Government of Japan has been providing this scholarship since 2024.

This program will provide Indian government officials with valuable capacity development opportunities through study at Japanese universities. Under this agreement, 9 officers will be selected annually for the entire four years, specializing in important areas relevant to Indian policymakers. After their return to India, they will be well-positioned to drive policy reforms and implement key development projects, contributing significantly to India's growth and prosperity, including joint projects with Japan. By investing in the education and cross-cultural experiences of future leaders, both countries seek to foster deeper understanding, cooperation, and enduring ties between India and Japan.

The application process for selecting this second batch of JDS scholars is expected to commence in mid-2025, and their admissions will begin in mid-2026.

Commenting on the program, TAKEUCHI Takuro , Chief Representative, JICA India, said, “As envisioned by the 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. I urge ambitious and talented government officials to apply for this program and prepare themselves to lead India into the future.”

The Grant Agreement was signed between Manisha Sinha, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India, and TAKEUCHI Takuro, Chief Representative, JICA India.