India’s first dedicated Certificate Course in International Relations and Foreign Policy for high school and undergraduate students was launched in June 2025 by Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations, a Mumbai-based foreign policy think tank.

The course aims to provide foundational knowledge of international relations and India’s external engagement. Its launch follows rising student interest in global affairs, reflected in the expansion of Model United Nations (MUN) and Model G20 conferences in India, which have grown to 400 events with six lakh participants in 2025. During India’s G20 presidency in 2023, Gateway House partnered with J. B. Petit High School for Girls, Mumbai, to host the world’s first student-led inter-school Model G20 conference, endorsed by the G20 Co-ordinator and the Ministry of External Affairs.

The New Education Policy (NEP 2020), with its focus on holistic and experiential learning, has encouraged schools to integrate debate and simulation activities, further driving interest in international affairs. Despite this, the subject is absent from school curricula and remains limited at the university level, prompting many Indian students to pursue such studies abroad. Gateway House says the course provides an India-centric perspective, helping students prepare for higher studies and future careers.

The one-month online Summer 2025 programme saw strong participation and feedback. The next edition, scheduled from February to July 2026, will be held in collaboration with schools and universities across India and conducted in person, including a week-long immersive component. The curriculum will cover India’s role in the Global South, regional studies, comparative government systems, multipolarity and geopolitical shifts, emerging and middle powers, Viksit Bharat, the blue economy, non-state actors, and global technology and innovation.

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