NEW DELHI: Amid growing global trade tensions and a recent tariff hike by the US on Indian goods, the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) has called upon the country’s higher education institutions to take a leading role in reviving the Swadeshi Movement.
A high-level meeting scheduled for August 11, 2025, will see vice-chancellors and education leaders from across India deliberate on “India’s Economic Resurgence through the Swadeshi Movement: Role of Indian Universities.” The session will be headlined by professor Bhagwati Prakash Sharma, a global trade expert and member of the ministry of education’s high power committee on the Indian Knowledge System.
In a letter dated August 5, AIU secretary general professor Vinay Kumar Pathak urged institutions to foster “economic self-reliance” on campuses by encouraging students to adopt and promote indigenous products and practices. “Let every classroom ignite economic consciousness. Let every campus become a bastion of Swadeshi,” he wrote.
The event aims to align university ecosystems with the Centre’s “Vocal for Local” campaign, launched as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s renewed push for
Atmanirbhar Bharat. Discussions will include campus-based Swadeshi drives, linkages with MSMEs and startups, and curriculum reforms to promote economic patriotism.
With over 43 million students enrolled across India’s higher education system, organisers said the sector has a transformative role to play in reshaping consumer behaviour and national development goals.
"Universities are not just centres of learning; they are laboratories of national rebuilding,” the AIU stated.
Manash Pratim Gohain is a seasoned journalist with over two decad...
Read MoreManash Pratim Gohain is a seasoned journalist with over two decades at The Times of India, where he has built a rich body of work spanning education policy, politics, and governance. Renowned for his incisive coverage of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, accreditation reforms, and skilling initiatives, he has also reported on student politics, urban policy, and social movements. His political reportage—both reflective and news-driven—adds depth to his writing, bridging policy with public impact. Through his 2,500 articles and related outlets, he has emerged as a trusted voice in national discourse, particularly in linking education reform to broader societal change.
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