Indians' spending on foreign studies hits 7-yr low

Amid tightening of policies for international students in the US and several other developed nations, Indians have drastically cut down on the money they are sending abroad for the education of their children, with latest data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) showing that the amount transferred in the first half of 2025 was the lowest in seven years.

- SIDDHARTH UPASANI

As per data from the central bank, Indians' outward remittances in January-June 2025 under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) stood at $1.16 billion. Not only is this figure down 22% from last year, it is the least amount of money sent under the scheme in the first six months of a calendar year since 2018, when $1.06 billion was sent abroad for foreign studies.

Notably, a slightly larger chunk of outward remittances under the LRS is sent in the second half of the calendar year in line with admission cycles. However, money sent abroad in the first half, that is from January to June, is sizeable and on average accounted for 45% of full-year transfers on an average over the last five years.