How foreign campuses could boost India’s global ranking

India’s higher education landscape is at a critical juncture. The recently released Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026 listed only four Indian universities among the top 500 globally – a figure that has sparked conversations about the challenges and opportunities facing Indian academia.

For a country with over 1,000 universities and a young, aspirational population, this low representation raises pressing questions: Why are the global rankings not reflecting India’s academic potential, and how can the country improve its standing?

Structural challenges

Several structural factors contribute to this outcome. THE rankings measure universities across teaching, research, citations, international outlook and industry income.

Indian institutions often excel at teaching, yet struggle to make a global mark in research output and citations, which carry significant weight in the rankings. Limited research funding, bureaucratic constraints and a lack of robust infrastructure at many universities hamper the ability to produce globally impactful research.

Moreover, regulatory frameworks in India, while ensuring quality teaching, sometimes restrict flexibility in research innovation. For example, the University Grants Commission (UGC) mandates research for foreign campuses in India, which could be a step in the right direction for improving research culture.

However, many homegrown institutions operate under traditional models that prioritise teaching over pioneering research.

The rise of foreign campuses

Interestingly, this scenario is set to change with a new wave of foreign universities establishing campuses in India.

The University of Liverpool and Lancaster University in Bengaluru, the University of York, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Bristol in Mumbai, along with Queen’s University Belfast, Coventry University and the University of Surrey in GIFT City, Gandhinagar, are expanding their footprint.

These campuses represent a new model of higher education in India, with some operating under UGC regulations, making research mandatory, while others in Special Economic Zones may have more flexibility.

This infusion of international standards and research-driven approaches could catalyse improvements in the local academic culture, offering students exposure to global best practices without leaving India.

The Commonwealth connection

Another key factor in shaping India’s higher education future is the role of the Commonwealth.

According to University World News, the Commonwealth has a unique capacity to mitigate higher education funding crises by fostering collaboration, providing grants and encouraging cross-border research initiatives.

Leveraging such international networks could help Indian universities gain visibility, attract top faculty and increase their research output – all of which are essential for improving their global rankings.

Looking ahead

India’s challenge is not a lack of talent or ambition, but structural inertia and underinvestment in research excellence. The recent ranking results serve as a wake-up call for policymakers, university leaders and private investors. Initiatives such as foreign university campuses, Commonwealth-supported research collaborations and targeted funding for research-intensive programmes can bridge the gap.

For students and academics, the next few years promise a transformative phase – one where studying in India could offer a truly global-standard education, driven by research, collaboration and innovation.

While only four Indian universities made it to the top 500 in the tHE 2026 ranking, the seeds are being sown for a future where India can secure a more prominent position on the global academic map.

Dr Nnamdi O Madichie is a research fellow at the Bloomsbury Institute London, United Kingdom. He is also a full professor of marketing at the School of Business, Woxsen University, Hyderabad, India, as well as a visiting professor of marketing and entrepreneurship at the Unizik Business School, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.

This article is a commentary. Commentary articles are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of University World News.