As India deepens its global footprint and students seek careers beyond conventional paths, foreign language education has undergone a dynamic transformation. While old favourites including French, German, and Spanish continue to dominate the linguistic classrooms, there is a surge in interest toward East Asian languages—notably Japanese, Korean and Mandarin. Besides the increasing job opportunities in the Southeast, there is a surge in demand due to the charm of pop culture and movies, which has boosted the craze to learn new languages.
Familiar Faces
“The demand for foreign languages is rising as languages like Spanish, French, and German are perceived as gateways to jobs in multinational corporations, trade, and tourism sectors, not just in Europe but also in Africa, North and South America, where these languages are spoken. The popularity of French and German is largely driven by a herd mentality, as these languages have been traditionally taught in India. Students believe these languages guarantee jobs in the countries where it is widely spoken. Also, schools promote them as the third language, which reinforces their popularity,” says Vijaya Venkataraman, HoD, Germanic and Romance Studies, University of Delhi (DU).
Spanish, too, remains in strong demand as it is popular in 20 countries. Vikas Kumar Singh, Spanish language faculty, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), says, “Spanish opens career opportunities across sectors such as tourism, international trade, public relations, media, and translation. It is among the top in-demand foreign languages besides French, German, Japanese, and Chinese.”
“Spanish is one of IGNOU’s most popular foreign language offerings. For past few years, in most semesters, over 5,000 to 6,000 students enrol in Spanish language courses, reflecting its sustained popularity,” he adds.
He further adds, “A study by the National Institute of Career Science, under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, projects that over 1.6 million foreign language experts will be needed in India over the next two decades. According to the report, the most in-demand languages are Spanish, German, French, Chinese, and Japanese, driven by global trade, international collaboration, and the growing presence of multinational companies in India.”
Asian Ascent
Among the Asian languages, Mandarin Chinese has been and continues to be an important language. Now, Japanese and Korean have become important because of the need for qualified language experts in multinational organisations. “There is steady demand for these languages in the job market today. Companies such as Samsung, Toyota, Honda, Sony, Panasonic, and Mitsubishi are creating attractive job opportunities. Besides the technical knowledge, candidates need to learn the local language to enter the job market in these countries,” says Venkataraman.
“Korean language has seen a surge in popularity among Gen Z, fueled by the global appeal of K-dramas and K-pop. Entertainment is now shaping educational choices,” says Singh. “Language learning is no longer just about jobs—students are driven by cultural connection and personal identity.”
He says, “Mandarin demand often rises or falls depending on India-China relations,” adding that Taiwan is currently seeking skilled workers, which could renew interest. Taiwan has established several Taiwan Education Centres within leading Indian universities to promote Mandarin Chinese language and culture. The Taiwan Economic and Cultural Centre in India (TECC) has been initiating several programmes to promote Mandarin in colleges and schools.
On the Decline
“While some languages are on the rise, others are not so visible despite offering scope for employment opportunities. One such example is Portuguese. There are plenty of job opportunities in Brazil, Portugal, and some countries in Africa, but there is a lack of awareness. The lack of awareness has resulted in low enrolment in these courses,” says Venkataraman.
However, Sing says, “The Brazilian version of Portuguese language is increasingly sought after by industries, but India lacks institutions and trained faculty to meet this demand.” In the 1980s, Russian was in high demand due to strong Indo-Soviet ties. Today, interest has declined amid limited opportunities, geopolitical uncertainty, and reduced global engagement. “The Russian language has lost ground due to regulatory restrictions and a weak presence in IT and business,” says Sudhakar Venukapalli, chair professor at Chanakya University, former dean, English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU).
Even Arabic, once popular due to employment opportunities in the Gulf, is seeing waning interest. “It is still in demand in Middle Eastern markets, but its academic presence in India has diminished,” says Venukapalli.
Beyond Jobs
“Language learning enhances cognitive skills, encourages cultural empathy, and is vital in sectors like diplomacy, tourism, and education,” says Venukapalli. “Sadly, the dominance of English is pushing other languages to the margins,” he adds.
Singh underscores the role of foreign languages in India’s soft power diplomacy. “Foreign language skills help share Indian ideas with global audiences. They allow Indian texts to be translated directly into foreign languages—bypassing English—which preserves their cultural and philosophical depth.”
Systemic Challenges
While student interest grows, infrastructure has not kept pace. Many public institutions struggle to recruit qualified language faculty. “At Osmania University, the French department may shut down due to a lack of faculty recruitment,” says Venukapalli. Historically, foreign language learning was treated as marginal in Indian academia. But with the National Education Policy (NEP) now encouraging multilingualism, there is hope that this landscape may change.