Iran’s popularity among Indian students has risen since the pandemic, as it emerged among the top 25 destinations for Indians seeking education abroad, as per government data.
During 2024, nearly 2,000 Indian students went to Iran for studies, according to a Moneycontrol analysis of data from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, compared with 737 in 2019. Iran was ranked 40th among international destinations chosen by Indian students in 2019.
The number of students going to the Islamic Republic rose 2.7 times in six years, a pace faster than almost all countries that attracted over 500 students from India—except the United Kingdom.
In contrast, Israel’s appeal among Indian students has waned, with the number of students heading to Tel Aviv steady at around 1,200 until 2023, but fell to 862 last year as the country got embroiled in conflict following the Hamas terror attack in October 2023.
In total, 7.59 lakh Indian students chose to study abroad in 2024, with Canada, US, UK and Australia accounting for two-thirds of the total.
Amid escalating tensions, Indian students in Tehran were moved out of the city on Tuesday.
“Indian students in Tehran have been moved out of the city for reasons of safety, through arrangements made by the Embassy. Other residents who are self-sufficient in terms of transport have also been advised to move out of the city in view of the developing situation,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on June 17.
More Indians headed to Iran
Further analysis of Ministry of External Affairs data shows that Iran managed to attract more Indians over the years, with Indian-origin population in the country rising by 158 percent since 2018. Between 2018 and 2024, the number of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in Iran rose to 10,320 from 4,000. The number of Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) also increased, rising to 445 from 277.
In Israel’s case, the increase in NRIs was modest, rising 60 percent to 20,000 in 2024 from 12,467 in 2018.
Meanwhile, New Delhi's economic relations with Tehran have moved in the opposite direction, and India remains among the top five trading partners for both Iran and Israel, its trade with Iran has now fallen below its trade with Israel.
India’s trade with Iran has declined by 87 percent since the United States imposed sanctions on the country in 2019. In comparison, trade with Israel has dropped 40 percent during the same period.
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