Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Government on May 6 said it has given approval for an off-campus centre of the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) at GIFT City in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The centre will be set up in accordance with the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2023, according to the Ministry of Education.
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, congratulated IIFT on receiving the approval. “Heartiest congratulations to IIFT on getting approval to open its new off-campus centre in GIFT City, India’s global financial hub. This paves the way for training talent in the institute’s flagship programme, MBA (International Business), besides short-term training programmes and research in the area of International Trade,” the minister posted on X social media platform.
The approval under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, comes after IIFT’s successful compliance with the conditions laid out in the Letter of Intent (LoI) issued in January 2025.
These included submission of a development roadmap to establish a multidisciplinary institution with over 1,000 students, availability of qualified faculty, detailed academic programmes, plans for a permanent campus, and creation of a state-of-the-art library, said the ministry.
The upcoming GIFT City campus will be located on the 16th and 17th floors of GIFT Tower 2.
It will offer IIFT’s flagship MBA (International Business) programme, along with specialised short-term training courses and research in international trade and related fields. The initiative aligns with the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which aims to promote multidisciplinary learning and expand access to high-quality education.
IIFT is a premier institution dedicated to capacity building in international trade. It was declared a Deemed to be University in 2002, holds an A+ grade from NAAC, and is accredited by AACSB, making it part of a select group of globally recognised business schools.
The GIFT City campus is expected to significantly contribute to India’s trade education ecosystem and support the nation’s aspiration of becoming a global export powerhouse.
