About the Georgetown India Initiative
The India Initiative, active from November 2015 to July 2020, built on Georgetown University’s core strengths—academic excellence, location in Washington, DC, and Jesuit mission of service to the world—to advance research and teaching around India and world affairs and create a platform for high-level dialogue among American and Indian leaders from government, business, civil society, and the academy.
India’s economic potential, democratic culture, and strategic importance make it a key player across a range of global challenges, including politics and identity, economic participation and innovation, technology and communication, environment and energy, and security. The India Initiative, a university-wide effort centered in the Office of the Vice President for Global Engagement, built knowledge and fostered dialogue around these and other issues of critical importance for India, the United States, and the world.
Georgetown is already a leading institution for the study of India. Teaching on India has grown across Georgetown’s nine schools. More than 50 faculty members are currently doing work related to the country and teaching India-specific courses spanning 10 academic disciplines. The Asian Studies Program in the Walsh School of Foreign Service offers a master of arts degree, as well as certificates at the graduate and undergraduate level. Building on these diverse strengths, the initiative supported research that brought together Georgetown faculty and colleagues at other institutions and encouraged student engagement with India through study abroad opportunities and student-to-professional dialogue. The initiative’s signature India Ideas Conference convened scholars, practitioners, diplomats, and thought leaders for high-level dialogue on key issues related to India.