France intends to welcome 30,000 Indian students by the year 2030, as stated by the French President.

In a significant effort to enhance academic exchange between India and France, French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized on February 19 that France aims to welcome 30,000 Indian students by 2030. This goal was initially declared in 2023, shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Paris as the chief guest during France's National Day celebrations. The student mobility program is a component of the people-to-people aspect of the India-France strategic partnership.

In response to this announcement, the French Embassy in India implemented various initiatives to draw Indian students, including a five-year short-stay Schengen visa. It also suggested the establishment of "international classes," which would provide specialized programs offering intensive French language training alongside academic preparation.

During the inauguration of the Indo-French Centre for AI in Health at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Macron reiterated the pledge to enhance visa and administrative processes to provide better support for students, especially those enrolled in long-term programs like PhDs. "It is crucial for us to attract more Indian students and encourage an increase in the number of French students coming here. We currently discuss 10,000 per year, but we agreed with Prime Minister Modi to aim for 30,000 by 2030," he stated.

The Indo-French Centre for AI in Health has been established through a collaborative memorandum of understanding among AIIMS New Delhi, Sorbonne University, and the Paris Brain Institute. This partnership also includes the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and several other French institutions.