O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU), located in Sonipat, Haryana, has introduced a distinctive initiative known as the Jindal India Institute (JII). This institute, a first of its kind, operates as a strategic think tank within a private university. Its primary aim is to foster India's global prominence by developing and disseminating a transnational, intellectually rigorous, evidence-based, and multidisciplinary body of knowledge. This knowledge seeks to highlight the positive aspects and accomplishments of India. JII strives to intellectually free the study and portrayal of India from colonial influences and enhance global awareness of India's remarkable achievements and potential in the 21st century. Notably, renowned international educational institutions like King’s College London, the University of Birmingham, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Pennsylvania have previously established respected India Institutes or Centers, each offering diverse perspectives on the Indian narrative through their scholars and global networks, influenced by their own ideological perspectives.
Indian academia has lacked a comprehensive, interdisciplinary India Institute capable of supporting India's ascendancy through an independent narrative that captures the myriad transformations occurring in the country. JII stands as a pioneering initiative aimed at addressing this significant gap and intellectually propelling India's trajectory. With the tagline 'Propelling the Indian Century,' JII seeks to contribute to achieving national objectives for India's centenary of independence in 2047, including the vision of a developed India ('Viksit Bharat') and a leading global power. Additionally, the institute aims to foster an imagination and strategic roadmap for positioning India as a global leader throughout the entire 21st century.
Despite India's current stance of robust independence and the safeguarding of its strategic autonomy, there persists a regrettable inclination to rely on Western educational institutions and news media organizations for learning, knowledge generation, and forming judgments about India's identity and direction. JII seeks to dismantle the intellectual dominance that defines India through external perspectives. Instead, it aspires to instill a culture and methodology centered on top-notch research, analysis, policy advocacy, and training. This approach aims to empower a self-defined and self-assured India, positioning the nation as a global leader.
