France Announces Visa-free Transit, Targets 30,000 Indian Students by 2030
France will simplify its visa process for Indian students and long-term visas will match the length of academic courses, including PhD programmes, says President Emmanuel Macron
NEW DELHI: France President Emmanuel Macron has announced a visa-free transit facility, reiterating that France will welcome 30,000 Indian students by 2030.
He announced an event at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.
Macron said France currently receives around 10,000 Indian students every year. He said both countries have decided to increase this number to 30,000 by 2030.
France will simplify its visa process for Indian students. Long-term visas will match the length of academic courses, including PhD programmes. If a PhD takes three years and I give a visa for one year, that is not practical,” he said and assured that France will make the system easier and student-friendly.
“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 said.
Macron also spoke about growing cooperation between India and France in artificial intelligence (AI). He said both countries want to build their own AI models and not depend fully on the US or China.
He said investment in computing power, talent, and capital is important to strengthen AI systems.
Macron, along with Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, inaugurated the Indo-French Campus on AI in Global Health at AIIMS. The campus will promote research and innovation in AI-based healthcare.