France to simplify student visas, plans to triple Indian student numbers by 2030

France will introduce a visa-free transit facility for Indian nationals and expand higher education access for Indian students, President Emmanuel Macron said on Feb 18, reaffirming plans to deepen academic cooperation with India.

Speaking at an event at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, Macron said France currently hosts around 10,000 Indian students each year and aims to increase that figure to 30,000 by 2030.

He said the French government will simplify student visa procedures and align long-term visas with the full duration of academic programs, including doctoral studies.

“If a PhD takes three years and I give a visa for one year, that is not practical,” he said.

“So on the French side, we will clearly streamline this approach in order to have something which meets the expectations and is much more practical for the students and the schools. We will establish better connections in order to have better sourcing. In India, 10-15 years ago, it was not the number one source of students. Let’s be honest. So I want our universities and high schools to do much more, but we will do as well much more in terms of administrative facilities,” he added.

Macron also highlighted collaboration between the two countries in artificial intelligence, stating that India and France intend to develop their own AI models rather than rely entirely on the United States or China.

He emphasized the need for investment in computing infrastructure, skilled talent, and capital to strengthen AI capabilities.

Along with Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, Macron inaugurated the Indo-French Campus on AI in Global Health at AIIMS. The initiative is expected to advance research and innovation in AI-driven healthcare solutions.

Referring to the ongoing AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, Macron said the responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence can support disease detection, energy transition efforts, and productivity improvements.