TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外交部) announced on Sunday (Dec. 22) that 14 Indian scholars have been awarded the 2025 Taiwan Fellowship (台灣獎助金), ranking first globally in terms of recipients. These scholars, including university professors, researchers, and doctoral students, will begin their research in Taiwan in January 2025, staying for periods ranging from three to 12 months.
The list of Taiwan Fellowship awardees for 2025 comprises candidates from 41 countries or regions, including Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the United States, and New Zealand. India leads with 14 recipients. To officially become fellows, these candidates must obtain a "letter of agreement for research residency" from a Taiwanese university or academic institution.
Baushuan Ger (葛葆萱), Taiwan's representative to India, highlighted the increase in Indian recipients from the usual 5-7 to 14 this year, indicating Taiwan's growing emphasis on India. Venus Upadhayaya, a doctoral student at the National School of Leadership (國家領導力學院) in India, believes 2025 will be pivotal, with a global political focus on the Indo-Pacific region.
Raj Kumar Sharma, a senior researcher at NatStrat (戰略安全議題研究中心) in India, expressed excitement about revisiting Taiwan, describing it as the "heart of Asia." Established in 2010 by MOFA, the Taiwan Fellowship aims to encourage experts and scholars worldwide to conduct research in Taiwan on topics such as Taiwan-China relations and the Indo-Pacific region.
