The main thrust behind the creation of the new Center for India and South Asia is summarized by the following objectives:

Our goal is to transform UCLA into one of the leading poles of integrated research activity on India and South Asia in the country.

1. To raise the profile of South Asia on campus and more generally in Southern California, where UCLA is naturally better positioned than several smaller campuses in the area. At the same time, we hope to collaborate with other institutions, whether universities or museums like the LACMA.
   
    
2. To introduce substantive coverage of new areas (for example, political economy, cinema and media studies, social anthropology, South Asian languages and literatures) that have so far been relatively neglected.
   
    
3. To federate existing studies, use dormant synergies, provide a forum for hitherto isolated activities (in Asian languages, history, art-history, musicology etc).
   
    
4. To introduce comparative studies and connective research in relation to other areas that are the focus of existing centers and programs in the International Institute, such as East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.