President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that France aims to admit 30,000 Indian students to its universities by 2030 and that he is “determined to make it happen”.
The French President described how the country is setting up new centres with a network of Francophone alliances and international classes to learn French. He added that France will also ease the visa process for Indian graduates in the country. He said:
“Coming to France means looking for excellence. We are launching new pathways in order to learn French in public schools with the “French for All, French for a Better Future”. We are developing the network of Alliances françaises, with new centers to learn French. We are creating international classes which will allow students, who do not necessarily speak French, to join our universities. Last but not least, we will facilitate the visa process for any former Indian students who studied in France.”
Macron noted that France has 35 universities in the QS rankings and about 15 in the Times Higher Education rankings. He added:
“We have now 35 universities in the QS ranking, and about 15 in the Times higher education ranking. India and France have so much to do together, now and in the future. We will achieve this with you, our young people, in exchange and cooperation, in trust, in friendship!”
Earlier in September 2023, the French Embassy in India had taken several measures, including a five-year short-term Schengen visa, to attract more Indian students. These initiatives are part of people-to-people ties, which are seen as one of the three pillars of the strategic partnership between the two countries.
Last year, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Paris as chief guest on the occasion of the country’s National Day on 14 July, the French President had expressed his willingness to host 20,000 Indian students by 2025 and increase the number to 30,000 by 2030.
Macron is the chief guest at the 75th Republic Day parade in New Delhi. He arrived in Jaipur on 25 January, where Prime Minister Modi met him and presented him with an exact replica of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The two leaders bonded over tea and held talks on further strengthening strategic cooperation in security, trade, defence and clean energy.
