France is stepping up its higher education and skills outreach in India, with a target of hosting 30,000 Indian students by 2030. The initiative comes
as India-France cooperation expands across education, innovation, artificial intelligence and emerging creative sectors. According to Campus France, the number of Indian students enrolled in French higher education rose to 9,100 in 2024-25, making India the 11th-largest source of international students in France, up from 13th place. A broader count based on visa and residence permit data put the number of Indian students in France at around 12,000 in 2025. The 30,000-student target is part of the broader India-France education partnership, with student mobility identified as an important area of cooperation. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France in June, the two countries signed 19 agreements related to their innovation ecosystems, adopted the India-France Innovation Roadmap 2030 and established a Joint India-France AI Working Group. He also invited French universities to establish campuses in India.
France to Expand Direct Outreach to Indian Students
French higher education institutions are also set to increase their outreach in India. More than 50 French institutions are expected to participate in the Choose France Tour in October.
The four-city tour will be held in Mumbai on October 11, Pune on October 13, New Delhi on October 15 and Bengaluru on October 17.
The participating institutions include engineering and technology schools such as CentraleSupélec, Mines Paris-PSL and IMT Atlantique, business schools including ESSEC, ESCP and EDHEC, and public universities such as Université Paris-Saclay and Université Grenoble Alpes.
Campus France India will provide prospective students with information on courses, scholarships, visas, accommodation and student life in France.
Desibel to Focus on Animation, Gaming and Immersive Content
Alongside conventional higher education, France is also developing programmes focused on specialised skills and emerging industries. One such initiative is Desibel, launched by the Embassy of France in India and the French Institute in India.
The programme focuses on animation, visual effects, gaming, comics and immersive content (AVGC-XR). It aims to connect Indian artists, creators and professionals with French mentors, institutions and industry networks through training, capacity-building and international exchange.
Desibel also includes the India Comics Project, under which 24 Indian artists are adapting literary classics into graphic novels.
The AVGC-XR component is being led by the Aniverse & Visual Arts Foundation and includes initiatives such as the AniMela Festival and the International Mifa Campus pitch lab. In June 2026, five Indian animation projects were presented at the Annecy Festival in France.
The initiatives are part of France’s broader efforts to strengthen education, professional training and creative-industry exchanges with India.
