As the first ever high-level Indo-US education summit gets underway, India today pitched for famed American universities to "reach out" to the country, with the visiting minister Kapil Sibal saying that tie-ups would yield high economic returns.

Making a strong case for US institutions of higher education to partner with those in India, the Minister for Human Resource Development said it is time that the US institutes of higher learning realise that the "way to move forward in education is to come to India, to collaborate and set up institutions and reach out to people."

He, however, added that India too has to "reach out" and create an environment for US universities to set up base in the country.

"You have a higher education structure which is the envy of the world, it has been at the front of all knowledge creation. US has the best academics all over the world. It is time for you to reach out, collaborate with us because in that process you will participate in not just helping us solve our problems but helping us solve the problems of the world," he said at an event on India-US education opportunities organised by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies here.

The day long education summit on October 13, to be co-chaired by Sibal and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, will see participation by over 300 higher education leaders, government and private sector representatives.

Sibal pointed out that investing in the Indian education sector makes good economic sense for the US as the return on investment in India is much higher as compared to any other country.