Argus News - Dharmendra Pradhan, Saudi Minister Discuss Deeper Collaboration In Education And Research

New Delhi, Dec 9: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday met HE Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Benyan, Minister of Education of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in New Delhi to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation in education, innovation, and research.

The meeting focused on advancing collaborations through the establishment of foreign campuses of Indian universities in Saudi Arabia and vice versa, as well as undertaking joint research in critical, emerging, and new-age technologies. Both leaders underlined the importance of leveraging education as a cornerstone for enhancing bilateral ties.

Pleased to meet HE Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Benyan, Minister of Education, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Had productive discussions on further deepening our collaborations and engagements in education, innovation and research and also taking our valued bilateral relations to the next… pic.twitter.com/C4Qz6GuaPI

In a post on X, Minister Pradhan said he was “pleased to meet HE Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Benyan” and described the discussions as productive. He highlighted the exploration of possibilities for opening more CBSE schools in Saudi Arabia and extended an invitation to Saudi students to pursue higher education in India.

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Pradhan further noted that India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 share strong alignment in their educational priorities. “Today’s meeting was an excellent opportunity to further strengthen the knowledge partnership between India and KSA, facilitate knowledge and cultural exchanges, realise shared aspirations and transform our respective countries into knowledge-driven, globally competitive societies,” he said.

The dialogue marks a significant step in expanding India-Saudi Arabia educational cooperation, with emphasis on innovation-driven growth, student mobility, and institutional partnerships. The proposed initiatives are expected to foster greater academic exchanges, enhance research capabilities, and contribute to building globally competitive knowledge societies in both countries.