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Direct Stakes for Indian Students from a Bilateral Visit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Nice, France, on June 13, 2026, for bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron. As per the Ministry of External Affairs, the talks will cover all dimensions of the India-France Special Global Strategic Partnership. Education, student mobility and academic collaboration are part of this agenda.
The meeting comes at the right time for Indian students. During President Macron’s visit to India in February 2026, the two leaders spoke about the forthcoming revision of the Mutual Recognition of Academic Qualifications agreement between India and France. This was reported by Campus France. This revision is among the active education matters for PM Modi during his June visit.
What has been confirmed before the Nice visit:
- PM Modi's bilateral meeting with President Macron is scheduled for June 13 and 14, 2026, in Nice
- India-France relations were elevated to a Special Global Strategic Partnership in February 2026
- Both leaders flagged the revision of the India-France academic degree recognition agreement during the February 2026 summit in Mumbai
- India's MEA published a dedicated June 2026 bilateral brief, listing education as one of the pillars of cooperation
These discussions are of considerable importance to students planning to study in France, and to those students already in France.
What the Current Agreement Offers Indian Students
The foundation for this conversation is already established. In March 2018, the Indian and French governments signed a Mutual Recognition of Academic Qualifications agreement. French President Macron was then on his first state visit to India. The agreement came into force on May 1, 2019. At the time, it was the first intergovernmental agreement of its kind for India.
According to the agreement, French institutions consider the following qualifications awarded by government-recognised institutions of India:
- All India Senior School Certificate Examination (CBSE, state boards and equivalent pre-university qualifications)
- Bachelor’s degree from Indian universities
- Master’s degrees from Indian universities
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from Indian institutions
By the same token, Indian institutions also consider the French Baccalauréat, Licence, Master’s degree and Doctorate. The agreement does not cover professional degrees in Law and Medicine.
During Prime Minister Modi’s visit to France in July 2023, the post-study work visa for Indian Master’s graduates was increased from 2 years to 5 years. Indian alumni holding a Master’s degree and higher and having spent at least one semester in France also qualify for a 5-year Schengen circulation visa.
These are important provisions. Indian graduates are among the most easily accommodated post-study migrants to France among graduates from the rest of Europe.
The 30,000 Student Goal and a Revised Agreement
France is aiming to bring in 30,000 Indian students per year by 2030. By early 2026, this number was near 10,000 per year for the first time. The sectors from healthcare research to sustainable development that attract Indian STEM students to France are the same sectors that the India-France Year of Innovation 2026, which Macron and Modi inaugurated in Mumbai in February, focuses on. It also includes digital sciences and artificial intelligence.
If a revised mutual recognition agreement is achieved during or after the visit to Nice, it could provide greater utility of an Indian degree in the French job market. At present, the mobility of professionals is limited as qualifications in the field of law and medicine are outside the recognition system. Any extension would promote better employment opportunities after study.
What Indian students should monitor during the Modi-Macron talks at Nice:
- If the revised mutual recognition agreement is achieved, or a timeframe for it is defined
- If there are any modifications to the Young Professionals Scheme under the India-France Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement
- Updates on the Mumbai hub that integrates ESSEC Business School and Centrale Supélec
- More information on the International Classes scheme for Indian students that facilitates access to French universities
- More information on the signed agreements from the India-France Year of Innovation 2026 in the fields of AI and STEM
Indian students who want to study in France can get the most up-to-date information through the Campus France India official website at inde.campusfrance.org, and through the French Embassy in India at in.ambafrance.org.
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