Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Macron said that the initiative is a significant effort to boost France’s ties with India, acknowledging it as an important partner in the Indo-Pacific region.The French president had announced this target following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France in July 2023.
“30,000 Indian students in France in 2030. It’s a very ambitious target, but I am determined to make it happen.” Macron posted on Friday.
“We will achieve this with you, our young people, in exchange and cooperation, in trust, in friendship,” he said further, adding that France will facilitate the visa process for any former Indian students who pursued their education in the country.
The president also said that they are launching new pathways in order to learn the French language in public schools with the “French for All, French for a Better Future” initiative.
“We are developing the network of Alliances francaises, 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,” he said.
Adding that “coming to France means looking for excellence”, Macron shared that the country now has 35 universities in the QS ranking, and about 15 in the Times higher education ranking.
Last year, during PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Paris as the chief guest for the country’s National Day on July 14, the French President expressed his commitment 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 January 25 where PM Modi met him and gifted a replica of Ayodhya’s Ram Temple. The two leaders bonded over chai and held talks over further consolidating strategic cooperation in security, trade, defence and clean energy.