Japan Opens 1,000 Research Opportunities For Indian Scholars Under LOTUS Programme
· Free Press Journal
India Japan: For the academic year 2026, Japan extends an invitation to 1,000 PhD students and researchers to participate in the LOTUS Program. The project aims to strengthen scientific ties between Japan and India. It will accomplish this by providing funds for research exchanges through collaborative initiatives run by organisations in both nations.
The FY2026 LOTUS Programme call is OPEN!
Support for grad students & postdocs from India to conduct research in Japan.
Expanded to ~1,000 participants!
✨ New "LOTUS-ASPIRE" scheme offers up to 3 years of support!
️ Apply by: 9 Jun 12:00JST, 2026https://t.co/XfAJ1I0RW0 pic.twitter.com/6Kj5XYG3RBVisit sportbet.rodeo for more information.
— Embassy of Japan in India (@JapaninIndia) April 2, 2026
The India-Japan Circulation of Talented Youths in Science (LOTUS) Program is designed to facilitate long-term collaborative research by allowing graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to collaborate under the same supervision.
While 55 participants from 22 institutions were selected in FY2024, the number rose to 300 participants from 78 institutions in FY2025. The upcoming expansion marks a major jump in scale.
The 2026 call will include two schemes - the existing LOTUS Basic and the newly introduced LOTUS-ASPIRE, offering different levels of engagement and duration.
Key highlights of the programme:
Who can apply:
- Master’s and PhD students
- Postdoctoral researchers (below 40 years)
- Open to all nationalities
Support duration:
LOTUS Basic: Up to 12 months
LOTUS-ASPIRE: Up to 36 months
Financial support:
- Living expenses
- Travel and research-related funding
Research focus areas:
Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
Biotechnology
Energy
Materials Science
Quantum Science
Semiconductors
Network and Telecommunications
(Other fields may be considered if aligned with these core areas.)
The programme also places emphasis on joint supervision and tangible research outcomes, especially under the extended ASPIRE track.
Applications Open Till June 2026
The call for proposals is currently open and will run from March 13 to June 9, 2026 (12:00 JST). Only principal investigators who work at universities or research institutions in Japan can submit applications.
The project is about more than just schoolwork; it's also about making connections. In July 2025, there was a networking event for researchers at the Embassy of India in Tokyo. It is expected to happen again in 2026.
The Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) supports the LOTUS Programme, which is becoming an important way for early-career researchers from India and Japan to work together and move around.