External affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar on Thursday launched the IITM Global Research Foundation, an international initiative of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, marking a key step towards the institute’s vision of becoming the world’s first multinational university.

The initiative aims to significantly expand IIT Madras’ global footprint through international research, innovation, startups and academic collaborations, positioning it as a globally networked hub for education and entrepreneurship.

Dr Jaishankar also inaugurated the ‘IITM Festival Fortnight’, which includes an Open House granting public access to IIT Madras’ laboratories and innovation centres, along with Shaastra, the annual technical festival, and Saarang, the annual cultural festival. Shaastra 2026 is being held from 2 to 6 January, while Saarang 2026 will take place from 8 to 12 January.

The launch event was attended by Prof V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras; Prof. Raghunathan Rengaswamy, Dean (Global Engagement); Mr. Madhav Narayan, CEO, IIT Madras Global Research Foundation; along with faculty members, students, researchers and other stakeholders. Dr. Jaishankar also participated in a fireside chat with students.

Jaishankar highlighted that India’s foreign policy seeks to maximise global impact despite limited resources by leveraging national strengths and institutional capabilities. Referring to IIT Madras’ international outreach, he cited the establishment of an IIT Madras campus in Tanzania as an example of how Indian institutions contribute meaningfully to global development.

As part of the IITM Global rollout, IIT Madras has signed multiple high-impact memoranda of understanding with institutions across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Dubai and the Asia-Pacific region, including Singapore and Malaysia, as well as under the India-for-Global initiative. These partnerships focus on joint research, industry collaboration, startup engagement, talent exchange and technology translation.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof V Kamakoti said IITM Global follows a four-pronged approach: taking IIT Madras technologies abroad, undertaking joint global projects, enabling startups to access international markets, and attracting foreign investment. Initially, IITM Global will establish a presence in five locations, including the US, Dubai, Malaysia and Germany.

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