France is expanding its education and creative-sector outreach in India, with a target of welcoming 30,000 Indian students by 2030. The initiative is part of the broader India-France partnership focused on education, innovation, artificial intelligence and student mobility.
According to Campus France, the number of Indian students enrolled in French higher education reached 9,100 in 2024–25, while a broader count based on visa and residence-permit data put the figure at around 12,000 in 2025.
As part of its outreach, more than 50 French higher-education institutions are expected to participate in the Choose France Tour in October. The four-city tour will cover Mumbai, Pune, New Delhi and Bengaluru, giving Indian students information about courses, scholarships, visas, accommodation and student life in France.
‘Desibel’ Focuses On Animation, Gaming And Creative Skills
France has also launched ‘Desibel’, a multi-year programme focused on developing skills and international opportunities in Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR). The initiative has been launched by the Embassy of France in India and the French Institute in India.
The programme aims to connect Indian artists, creators and professionals with French mentors, institutions and international industry networks. It includes capacity-building, publishing, animation and extended-reality projects, along with opportunities for international exchange.
One component, the India Comics Project, involves 24 Indian artists adapting literary classics into graphic novels. The AVGC-XR component also includes initiatives such as the AniMela Festival and International Mifa Campus pitch lab.
The initiative comes amid a broader push to strengthen India-France academic and innovation ties, including cooperation in AI, research, technology and student mobility under the India-France Innovation Roadmap 2030.
